Leaving Home
by Pixel and Stephanie Forever
Summary: After Harry discovers how far Dumbledore interferes with his affairs and life, he leaves Hogwarts and heads off to America with Hermione along with him. The pair make new friends and Harry learns to relax before training for the big showdown with Tommy.
1. Harry Has A Decent Summer

**LEAVING HOME**

Harry Potter looked as if he held the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was sitting on the Hogwarts Express as it took him and his fellow school friends home for the summer holidays. His best friend and girlfriend Hermione Granger looked at him. It was only a couple of weeks ago that he had seen his godfather Sirius Black killed in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic.

"What's on your mind?" she asked, holding his hand.

"Something Dumbledore told me and something I need to do." He replied, "Will you be able to look after Hedwig and my trunk for a couple of days please? I will be needing to get away from the Dursleys in a rush and they will slow me down."

"Why don't you come home with me?" Hermione asked.

"Dumbledore said that Privet Drive is protected by blood wards which means as long as I can call it home and Aunt Petunia is still alive, I will be safe."

"That's a whole load of rubbish!" Hermione shouted.

"Why say that?"

"Because you told me that You-Know-Who used your blood in his rebirth ceremony." Hermione said, "It means he can just walk into your aunt's house."

"Why did no one bother to tell me this before?" asked Harry. "On the plus side he could kill the Dursleys for me" he looked over to Hermione. "Do you think he would do that if I asked him nicely?" and Hermione was shocked.

"Harry!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry" and he shook his head and began to think of the terrible summer he would have at the hands of his relatives.

#

After the train arrived at Kings Cross and the students disembarked, Harry looked around for the Dursleys. There was no sign of them – Harry walked over to Hermione. She introduced him to her parents and asked if he could spend a couple of days with them.

"Where are your relatives?" Mr. Granger asked.

"It appears they've finally had enough of me and are taking matters into their own hands. Not that they wanted me in the first place." Harry said. Mr. Granger looked at his wife.

"Can he stay please dad?" pleaded Hermione.

"Sure, you can spend as much time as you like with us. Hermione's told us so much about you, we can trust you with her." Mr Granger said to Harry.

#

"I call this meeting of the Order of the Phoenix to order." Dumbledore said. The Order was sitting in the kitchen of 12 Grimmwald Place.

"First things first, alternative arrangements will need to be made for Harry Potter this summer." He said.

"Why is that?" Remus Lupin asked.

"The Dursleys refuse to have anything further to do with him, following the Dementor attack on him and their son last summer. They have taken legal advice from a Squib solicitor who petitioned the Ministry on their behalf and managed to gain emancipation for him so they could be rid of him."

"What will happen to him now?" Molly Weasley asked.

"I do not know. My tracking charms indicate he is presently at the Granger residence. We will allow him a couple of days there before moving him somewhere. The second order of business is Sirius Black. His will is due to be read in a weeks' time. The contents of which are unknown right now, but assuming it is one he filed before his incarceration in Azkaban, he would have left everything he owned to Harry. As far as I know, this legacy would have included a single house and a small vault of money. But, since then, his mother died and despite being blasted off the family tapestry, he would be recognised as the Head of the Blacks, having received no trial."

"What does that mean?" someone asked.

"Assuming that Mr. Potter inherits the title of Lord Black, he also inherits this house. Now, Mr. Potter and myself had some difficulties towards the end of term and he showed some unpleasant feelings about me, due to decisions I had made for him. There is a chance he could prevent us from using this house for meetings, so we need to keep all paperwork relating to the Order in one place so it can be removed at a moment's notice."

"I think the house will be safe Albus." Remus said, "Sirius and I spoke at length and he hinted that I might be receiving the house." Everyone looked at him. "Sirius said I was more in need of it than Harry was, the Potters owning many homes across the world."

"This is what we'll do – allow him some time at the Grangers, have a change of scenery and time to grieve for Sirius away from magic before moving him here. This meeting is closed."

Everyone went to leave.

"Molly – a word please." Dumbledore said. Molly Weasley stopped where she was. "I thought you should hear this first before Ronald gets the letter from Minerva. She's recommended that Ronald be removed as Prefect – it seems he neglected his duties all year. She's recommended that Harry take on the duties instead along with Quidditch captaincy."

"Now listen here Albus," Molly said with a loud voice, "I don't care what you have to do, but you will make sure Ron gets to keep that Prefect badge and you will also make sure he gets that Quidditch captaincy otherwise I will go straight to the Ministry and tell them about this group of yours."

"My hands are tied over the Captaincy thing Molly; it is a matter for the Head of House. Your son is not eligible for the job, having only been on the team for a year. If his OWL results are what they are predicted to be, his Prefect badge is in jeopardy anyway." Dumbledore said.

"Then you had better find a way to make sure he keeps it!" Molly shouted before leaving.

#

Following the meeting, Dumbledore thought he had better write to Harry to inform him about the Dursleys – knowing he had not received any mail from them. He wrote a small letter and sent it off with Fawkes.

#

Harry and the Grangers were sitting in their kitchen having some dinner when a ball of fire appeared and Fawkes appeared. He dropped a letter in front of Harry before vanishing. Harry took the letter and read it.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_I'm sorry I've not told you this before now, but I've only just found out myself._

_According to the Ministry, the Dursleys, having finally reached their resolve about you and magic, appointed a Squib solicitor to petition the Ministry to have you granted emancipation. This was so granted. It means you can no longer call Number 4 home and that even if you could, the blood wards would no longer work._

_I am aware that you are staying at the Grangers with Miss. Granger. I must ask you not to go out too often, if you have to. Sirius' will is being read in a week's time. As his primary heir, it is a legal requirement for you to attend. I will be talking to the goblins about either postponing it until it is time to go to the Alley to collect your school stuff or appointing a representative._

_Looking forward to seeing you on your return to Hogwarts._

_Albus Dumbledore_

"The cheek of the man!" Harry shouted, "This just about does it! Did you know he put me with the Dursleys knowing what they would do? He did all this over some prophecy that crackpot Trelawney gave before I was born?"

"No!" Hermione said, "What was it?"

Harry told them the contents of the prophecy. "If it's so important for me to be able to defeat Voldemort, why does he keep hiring incompetent Defence teachers? Only Remus and Moody were any good, even if Moody was a Death Eater in disguise. What was he thinking of when he hired that idiot Lockhart? And don't get me started on Snape. Its reasons like this I'm considering the plans I'm making."

"What are they then Harry?" Mr. Granger asked.

"Leave Hogwarts and find another school in another country, preferably one where Dumbledore doesn't have any friends. I just fear for Hermione because of what happens at Hogwarts. It breaks my heart to see her treated the way she is."

"What way is that? She hasn't told us much." Mrs. Granger said.

"So you don't know that people constantly call her names because of her heritage and no-one does anything about? I've done my best to stand up for her. Our Potions teacher is allowed to ridicule and bully anyone and he is not disciplined. Last year, we had a Defence teacher appointed by the Ministry who taught us nothing! She would regularly put me in detention where she told me to write lines with a quill which cut the words into my hand." He showed his hand to the Grangers. "No members of staff would stand up to her as the Headmaster would just allow it." Harry stopped speaking as he seemed to be thinking of something.

"Something wrong?" asked Mrs Granger. Harry didn't reply for several moments before he turned to look at both of the Grangers.

"Mr and Mrs Granger, I'd like your permission to take Hermione with me to another school" he said formally.

"I see your meaning Harry." Mr. Granger said, "I'd rather she left that school and she might be willing to do so with you. But we need to get some legal advice. I noticed on our last trip to that Alley that there was a solicitor's office. We should go there and find out our options."

"Good idea sir." Harry said.

"You don't need to call me sir – just Michael will do."

"Alright Just Michel" Harry said with a grin.

#

The next morning, Harry and the Grangers drove to London and entered Diagon Alley They found the solicitor's office and entered after attracting and were invited into the office of Arthur Madsen.

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

"I want to find out about the legality of transferring from Hogwarts to an overseas magical school." Harry said, "I would also like to find out about transferring Hermione there too. According to Dumbledore, my guardians had me emancipated."

"Well, if that is the case, then it is perfectly legal for you to transfer to another school – you would have to request it with the Headteacher of the relevant school. As for your friend, assuming she is a Muggleborn, then normally, Dumbledore would be her magical guardian, being the Hogwarts headteacher. He would have to approve it."

"Can you find out?" Mr. Granger asked, "and how did he get to become her magical guardian? We were visited by a Sirius Black a year ago and offered to take on the job, suspecting Dumbledore of trying something."

"I will have to file a request with the Ministry for her file, you will need to come back in a couple of days or I can visit you. In the meantime, I will check some schools in America and Canada for you."

"Thank you." Mr. Granger said, "How much will this cost us?"

"Two thousand galleons." Mr. Madsen said. Mr. Granger looked shocked.

"Don't worry – I'll pay the money." Harry said.

"Thanks." Mrs. Granger said.

#

Mr. Madsen arrived as promised a few days later. He was shown into the front room where he got two files out.

"Alright, I've got your files as promised. Mr. Potter, as yours is the most simple, we'll start with you." He opened up Harry's file and read it:

_Harry James Potter,_

_Born: July 31__st__, 1980_

_Place of Birth: Godric's Holllow, Wales_

_Current Residence: Unknown_

_Blood Status: Mixed (father pureblood, mother muggleborn)_

_Legal Status: Emancipated_

_Criminal Record: Underage Magic, July 1992_

_Father: James Harold Potter_

_Born: 1960_

_Died: October 31__st__, 1981_

_Occupation: _

_Blood Status: Pureblood_

_Criminal Record: A Des O' Connor LP_

_Mother: Lily Rose Potter (Evans)_

_Born: 1960_

_Died: October 31__st__, 1981_

_Occupation: Unspeakable in Training_

_Education Record_

_Currently Attending: Hogwarts_

_House: Gryffindor_

_Class Rank: 3__rd__ out of 39_

_OWL Results: TBA_

_NEWT Results: TBA_

_Other Notes: Former Seeker for Gryffindor Quidditch Team, currently serving life ban from the sport_

"As you are emancipated, it means you should have no problems getting into another school. Miss. Granger on the other hand, is a different matter." Hermione's file was then read out. It was practically the same as Harry's, it just stated that she was 1st in the class ranking and it said nothing about her parents or sports.

"Mr. & Mrs. Granger – the two of you would have to give consent for Hermione to transfer."

"If it gets her away from that death trap they call a school," Mr. Granger said, "Then we'll give consent."

"You want me to come with you?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"Well you didn't think I was going to leave Hogwarts without you, did you?" Harry said, and Hermione rushed over and hugged him.

"I'll look into the transfers later, Mr. Potter. I made a few enquiries about your life ban from Quidditch and found it was imposed by Delores Umbridge for a fight. What can you tell me about it?" Madsen said.

"Well, it was the first match of the year and I had just caught the Snitch. Then Goyle, a Slytherin Beater deliberately hit a Bludger at me which hit. Then Draco Malfoy started his usual rude chants about my mother because of her heritage, the Weasleys for not having money and Ron because he wasn't too good but it was his first proper game. I punched Malfoy along with Fred Weasley. McGonagall gave us detention, which I felt was worth it until Umbridge came and said that the Minister gave her permission to deal with all punishments. Fred and I were given life bans from Quidditch, including professional games as a career and she also imposed one on George Weasley for good measure. As usual, no-one said a thing about what Malfoy said – in my opinion, he gets away with too much and Goyle got away unpunished. During my third year, Malfoy and a couple of Slytherins dressed up as Dementors to sabotage the game – McGonagall gave them detention and deducted points, but Snape and Dumbledore restored them."

"I'll take this up with the Department of Sports and Games – they should be able to do something about it. Can you provide any memories of this?" Mr. Madsen asked.

"Just a moment." Harry left the room and came back with a few vials. "I took the liberty of taking memories of each game after Malfoy joined just in case they were needed."

"As for the new school – Hogwarts is the only one in England. I know there are a few in Canada which would be good – their headteachers aren't the biggest fans of Dumbledore. I can make some enquiries – my granddaughter attends the Vancouver School of Magic. I'll be in touch." Before he left, Harry gave him a bankers draft for 2,000 galleons.

"That's for your hard work so far." He told the man.

"Thank you." Mr. Madsen said before leaving.

"I never knew that stuff about my parents before." Harry said.

"What did you know?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"Well, until Hogwarts, all I knew because of the Dursleys that they were out of control drunks who died in a car crash. Hagrid told me they were Head Boy and Girl. Dumbledore tells me I look like my dad except for Mum's eyes. One thing I later found out via Snape's memories and that was by accident was that Dad bullied him. I don't agree with that, but there is no need for Snape to bully me over it. Whenever I asked anyone else – teachers, Remus or Sirius, they just changed the subject."

"I wonder why everyone is so keen to keep information on your family secret." Mr. Granger said.

"I'm not sure" Harry said, but I suspect Dumbledore in doing this. I have always suspected him of hiding things from me" and he saw Hermione shaking her head.

"But why?" she questioned. Hermione was having trouble in questioning an authority figure it seemed.

"Dumbledore wants me to defeat Voldemort – but expects me to die. I have no doubt that he will take the entire Potter fortune" Harry said to her. "That is one of the reasons I will be leaving for another magical school" he added.

"Have you thought about where you would go?" asked Mrs Granger.

"Canada is out" Harry said. "Another country I know, but it is part of the British Territory. Dumbledore could have me taken from there and returned to Hogwarts. Same with New Zealand and any other country within the Commonwealth" and Hermione nodded.

"So where do we go?" she asked him.

"I don't know, but I'm going to send Hedwig to him with a message telling him no British Territories" Harry said.

"What about that French school?" asked Michael. Harry considered it for a few moments before shaking his head.

"Three reasons why" Harry said. "It is too close to Hogwarts, Gabrielle will try to jump me for my body, and have you seen what they serve for breakfast? They don't do fry ups – Fleur told me that during the Tri-Wizard" and Hermione smiled.

"I don't mind where you go, as long as I am with you" she told him.

**A/N:**

**The first chapter in yet another chapter that I have taken in from the cold darkness of fanfic hell. Fanfic hell is a place that stories are sent to when not published, discontinued or removed. Out of the goodness of my heart, I have opened up my homepage to offer this worthy fanfic a space in my profile.**

**PLEASE do not expect this to be updated as fast as the others – I still have my other fics to complete. I thought of uploading this as part of my Christmas bonus to you all. Those people that review on Christmas Day will get special mentions in the next chapter – Christmas Day being measured by British Time.**

**Tell me What You Think**

**Regards**

**Pixel**

**MERRY CHRISTMAS**


	2. The British Are Coming

**The British Are Coming**

Harry sent a message to the lawyer that they had decided against anything remotely British, or the anything on the continent for that matter as well. Madsen agreed and that was why Harry and Hermione each held a brochure for the Salem Institute in America. A note came with Harry's to say that at the moment he was still supposed to go to Hogwarts, but Harry expected that Sirius's will would emancipate him. If that was the case, then he and Hermione would transfer to the Salem Institute faster then you could say Jack Frost. The week flew by with Harry and Hermione spending lots of time together, and Harry understood what it was like to have a loving family as he and the Grangers went out to theme parks and other places. One thing that Harry was glad he did was to buy himself all new clothes and to get rid of Dudley's cast offs.

"What do we do with these?" asked Hermione, eyeing the pile that was on Harry's bed.

"I have an idea" he said, and gathered the clothes in his arms in his arms and went into the Granger's garden. Hermione was puzzled until she saw Harry set them alight and start dancing around them.

"Ah, Hermione" greeted Michael with a wave of the tongs, "Have you come for the '_Clothes Burning and Barbecue_' as well?" and Hermione smiled as she went to join her mother on the sunloungers.

#

The next day was the day of the reading, so Harry and Hermione got up a little early – no real problem for Harry – and got ready for the day. The Grangers took Harry and Hermione into London, and on impulse asked the adult Grangers to come in with him.

"I still say they look like Feringi" Michael said to Jane.

"I don't think it would be wise to say that to their faces" she replied. Harry went up to a teller and spoke.

"I'd like to see my family account manager, please" he said.

"Who are you?" asked the Goblin.

"If you've never seen me before, you worthless excuse for a living breathing thing, you'd know that I'm Harry Potter" Harry said, and showed the Goblin the scar. It nearly dropped through the floor in shock and then led Harry and the Grangers into a very large office. Many people waited for the will including the Weasley family, Draco Malfoy and his mother Narcissa, Tonks and two adults he assumed where her parents, Remus Lupin and, not unexpectedly, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

"Harry my dear boy" Dumbledore started the convocation, "May I say how nice it is to see you?" and the smile was present on his face once more. Harry was very tempted to punch the Headmaster in the jaw and he strongly suspected that the Weasley twins would join in.

"Thank you, Professor" Harry said, "I wish it was on better business that we met" and Dumbledore seemed to accept that.

"I see that Miss Granger is with you, and I see that they must be her parents" the headmaster said, and Harry nodded.

"What did you get left, Scarhead?" asked Draco from the corner of the room he was in.

"Draco be silent!" his mother hissed, and he did so at once. Both Malfoys knew that Harry could kill at a will reading without any sort of punishment whatsoever. Harry and Hermione refused to speak to the Weasley family except the twins and also Tonks and her family. Her dad, Ted, was a bus driver working for London Transport, while her mother worked writing fiction books for both Wizarding and Muggle worlds. Her muggle name was J.K Rowling, but it turned out that Andromeda – Tonks's mother's real name – hadn't done that well, and so she stayed mainly in the Wizarding world.

YOU MAY ENTER said a booming voice. Everyone got up and went into a large office with wooden furniture some nice tapestries hanging off the walls. Harry went storming in and took the closest four seats for himself, Hermione, Michael and Jane. The door behind the desk opened and Harry looked to see…

"Griphook?" he said with surprise and pleasure mixing in his voice.

"You recognise me, Mr Potter?" asked Griphook.

"I will never forget the second Goblin I met with" Harry replied, and Griphook gave a kind of half smile.

"Indeed" he said, and then sat down behind his desk and opened up a large bundle of parchment. The bundle contained many different folders and Harry assumed that they contained some kind of information for everyone. "This is the reading of the will of Sirius Orion Black. All those present in the room have been asked to come – the exceptions being Mr and Mrs Granger who are attending at Mr Potter's request" and Griphook paused to open a drawer and he took out a pensive that he placed on the desk top. "Mr Black left his will in the form of a recording which I will now play" and Griphook knocked three times on the top of the Pensive before a ghostly image of Sirius appeared in the room. Harry and Hermione thought strongly of holograms from Star Trek.

"_If you are seeing this, then it means I'm dead. I hope it was impressive… not crossing the road or an incident with a toaster. Well now for the formal stuff I guess_" and Sirius's image frowned before pressing on. "_I, Sirius Orion Black, being of no sound mind and reasonable judgement do hereby make the following dispositions regarding my assets_" and the image turned towards each of the named people in turn – but in no particular order it seemed. "_To the Weasley family, I leave the sum of 100,000 Galleons on condition that Fred and George Weasley prank Percival Weasley for one whole week_" and Harry swore the twins starting to plot. "_To my sister, Narcissa: I leave all of my dirty washing plus some obscene pictures of myself. She must carry these with her for one month so that she may collect a sum of 300,000 Galleons_" Harry, Hermione and the twins tried very hard not to laugh at Mrs Malfoy. "_To Remus Lupin: I leave the sum of 100,000 Galleons on the condition that he buys himself some decent clothes and gets a haircut. To Fred and George Weasley: I leave them _each _the sum of 200,000 Galleons in the name of Pranking. I also leave the pair all of my notes so that they may create fun all over the country. To dear Nephew Draco: I leave all of my the sum of 10,000 Galleons in trust until he turns 21. To my sister Andromeda and Niece Nymphadora: I reinstate you both into the Black family and give you everything that you are owed. To my Brother in Law Ted: I leave you a fleet of buses comprising of 3 Routemasters, two Leyland Olympians and four Plaxton Tiger coaches. To Hermione Jane Granger I leave the sum of 500,000 Galleons, the entire library in Grimmauld Place as well as instruction in taking care of Harry for me_" and the image turned slightly to look at Dumbledore.

"I don't think this is going to go well" Harry whispered to Hermione who nodded in silent agreement.

"_To Albus Dumbledore: I leave the sum of 45 Galleons, an unclean toilet and orders to stop interfering with Harry's life._" And Dumbledore would have killed Sirius if he had not been already dead – but he managed to keep his calm. The ghostly image of Sirius turned once more to face towards Harry. "_To Harry James Potter: I leave everything else. The Black fortune, all of the houses that I own, several pornographic pensive memory recordings, and instructions to have a good life. I also emancipate Harry as Dumbledore should have done some time ago. Knowing Harry as I do, you have something planned – so go and do it. I only have one more thing to say_" and the image turned round to face Tonks again. "NYMPHADORA!" and the image gave her the finger before it vanished before Tonks could say a word. Griphook went round and gave everyone folders before they left the room. Harry and the Grangers however remained seated as Harry had to sign some papers concerning his emancipation. After that was done, Harry thought for a moment before speaking to Griphook.

"How do I transfer the ownership of a property?" he asked the goblin.

"You simply state the fact whilst inside the house, and name the person you want to transfer ownership to. That person must be present at the change of ownership charm" Griphook added, and Harry nodded before he and the Grangers left for something to eat. After that, came the trip to the Ministry to file papers to be Hermione's magical guardian. He had discovered that Dumbledore was Hermione's only on word of mouth. No actual evidence could be found, other then that which had his signature on. After that, the Grangers and Harry returned to the Granger home so that he could start sending messages.

#

Harry had decided to turn in early, and he went upstairs to sleep. This gave Michael and Jane the chance they needed to speak with Hermione.

"Exactly why do you want to go to another school?" asked her father.

"Is it because of the fact that you like him?" asked her mother. "You'll be a long way away from us for visits" she added. Hermione thought about her answer before replying.

"Where Harry goes, I will follow" the bushy haired teen said to her parents. "I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go. And near him I always will be for nothing can keep me away – he is my destiny. I will follow him! Ever since he touched my heart I knew, there isn't an ocean too deep or mountain so high it can keep… keep me away – away from his love" Hermione finished passionately.

"That was all we wanted to know" said her parents, and they said that she had better get to sleep as the Owls would be arriving early from America in the morning as they would be finding out of they had been given entry to the Salem Institute or not.

#

"Harry!" Hermione came bursting into the room where Harry had only just finished dressing. "We got letters from Salem" and Hermione handed Harry his letter.

"What's yours say?" asked Harry.

"I've been accepted" his girlfriend replied.

"I've not" Harry said.

"WHAT?" Hermione said loudly. "How could they?" and then she saw Harry grinning at her.

"Gotcha!" he said, and then looked at her. "I've been accepted. It says that someone will be here today at noon. He will tell us stuff about the Institute better then the brochure and answer any questions we have about the place" and then the two went down for a big breakfast.

"I take it that you got accepted?" asked Jane.

"We both did" Harry said. "It seems that someone is going to visit here today" he added, and passed his letter over to the Grangers and Hermione did the same.

"We _are_ doing the right thing right?" Hermione said to Harry.

"Of course" Harry replied, and then leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. Hermione blushed before starting on her bacon, tomatoes, sausages, beans, mushrooms, hash browns, fried bread and orange juice. Hermione liked her breakfast quite a bit Harry had discovered over the years.

"As long as I don't go back to Hogwarts, then I'm fine with it all" Harry said, and he tucked into an identical plate of what Hermione was demolishing.

#

Harry and the Grangers sat watching films while they waited for the visitor from Salem. He came during the afternoon just as they watched _Robin Hood – Prince of Thieves_. Harry had his arm around Hermione but it snapped away from her before he went for his wand.

"Who are you?" he asked the tall black man who had appeared in the middle of the living room.

"I'm Deputy Principal Michael Dorn. My apologies for entering your house like this, but your lawyer did say that it was important I was not seen entering the building" said the man who was dressed in robes with a yellow top and black bottom. He looked at Harry who was putting his wand away.

"You're from the Salem Institute?" Hermione asked, and Dorn nodded.

"Yes" he said, "And I'm here to tell you more about the place and answer any questions you might have for me" and Hermione was the first to ask a question.

"What can you tell us about the school?" she asked.

"It is not as big as Hogwarts, and therefore holds fewer students in total. We hold about one half the total numbers at Hogwarts. We find that it makes better lessons for everyone if we have smaller classes. The school itself was completely rebuilt several years ago and can take non magical technology" and Hermione and Harry were impressed by that little bit of news from Dorn.

"What sort of stuff will work?" Harry asked.

"Videos, TVs, stereos" Dorn said.

"I'm going to buy a bigger trunk" Harry said suddenly.

"Why?" asked a puzzled Hermione.

"I'm bringing my Star Trek collection with me" Harry said.

"Right" Hermione laughed, "What lessons do you teach at the Institute?" she asked Dorn.

"We teach the same basics that you would get at Hogwarts. Everyone has to do Potions, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Defence against the Dark Arts and Herbolegy" Dorn said. "We also teach Muggle Studies, Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Divinination – though that is a very small class – and Astronomy" and Harry raised an eyebrow.

"That's an optional?" he asked.

"Yes" Dorn said, "I hold that there is no need to study the stars. NASA does that job quite correctly. There are few other optionals such as Wizarding Government, but I don't think that that will apply to you. I would imagine that you will be wanting to return to the UK after finishing your education" and Hermione and Harry nodded.

"We just want to get away from Albus Dumbledore" Hermione said, "I'm sure you know our reasons why" and Dorn nodded.

"I was told of them yes" he said. The man handed over two pieces of parchment from his robes which looked like the lists they had to choose from at the end of second year. "As it is close to the new term you will have to choose now" Dorn added.

"How many?" asked Harry.

"You may pick at least two" Dorn said, "Though most pick at least three" and Harry nodded.

"We'll go in the kitchen" Hermione said, and she and Harry left her parents to talk to Dorn while she and Harry went to the kitchen to talk about subjects.

"So what do we take?" Harry asked his girlfriend. They discussed every option that they could take – except Wizarding Government.

"We should take Muggle Studies. We'd do that easily as we both got raised as them" Hermione replied, "And I think we should take Magical Creations class. It says here that you can design and make anything magical" and Harry agreed.

"I know that guy said most took at least three, but I think that we should stick with two. That way we have more time settle in" Harry said, and he and Hermione filled in the subjects they wished to take. They went back into the living room where they handed back the pieces of parchment to Dorn who put them in his robes. After much more discussion, Dorn left. Harry and Hermione contemplated Leaving Home.

**A/N:**

**First – yes I did just reference this very fic in the last line!**

**Second: omh666 has been banned because of the amount of swearing he left in a review for another of my fics. While I don't mind the odd bad word or two in a review, seven of them is a little too much! He follows this up by leaving an anon review. I deleted it, but this is now a warning to him and any others (Dragon Symphony, desaires0220 and those others you know of…):**

**If I get anymore abusive and anon reviews, then I will disable the feature for a period of one week. This serves as the first warning**

**On to happier things…**

**There is a reference to Star Trek: The Next Generation – try and spot it.**

**Thanks to the 40 plus people who review this fic. Thanks to the four people who put this on their "Must Read" groups on this site – must be well liked.**

**Christmas Day reviews**

**On Christmas Day, I posted three chapters, Chapter 1 of this, Chapter 26 of I'm Not Going and Chapter 9 of The Great Hogwarts Road Trip. Between 1:40am GMT and 10:34 am GMT I received 68 messages containing notices of reviews for all three fics as well as the notices for alert adding, favoUrite (yanks: note the "U"!) and such. On the 27****th****, I got a staggering 110 messages from fanfiction.**

**Special Mentions therefore go to the follow users:**

Alorkin

HGP

CelticWolfster

DarkHeart81

Jkarr

The Submarauder

Jim Red Hawk – hope you liked your present Jimmy!

GinnyLover14

red

Cateagle – Yes in reply to the wills question

Slashslut

Diimmortal

Airlady

**#**

**Time for some explaining. Harry and Hermione will not be the only ones to be leaving Hogwarts. As my most loyal reviewers will know, I have a fondness for characters that do not get used very much in fanfics. Therefore certain characters from my other Harry Potter fics will be appearing. Some characters such as Salem's teaching staff will be the names of **_**the**_** loyalist reviews and my truest friends on here.**

**This is now on hold so that I can complete **_**I'm Not Going**_** and add a requested chapter for **_**The Great Hogwarts Road Trip**_**. Yup – people theres one more in it. I'll reveal the title of the chapter so it makes an even 10. **_**Harry Potter and the chapter full of Star Trek References.**_

**If you have any issues with this fic, then just know that it is my fic and my rules.**

**I do not own Harry Potter – I own Hermione Granger instead!**

**Reviews please**

**Pixel**


	3. The Flight Of The Wild Geese

**The Flight Of The Wild Geese**

The letters from Hogwarts came later that afternoon, and each felt a little bulgy in the envelopes which they arrived in. Harry looked at Hermione before casting a spell on it to check for any jinxes and curses. After he found known on either of the letters, Harry opened his carefully. As well as the lists for all of the books for that year, there was also a small letter for him.

_Dear Mr Potter_

_May I say again how sorry I am about Sirius's death, and that I very much regret it occurred. After the return of Tom Riddle, you will understand when I request that you do not enter Hogsmeade this year as the danger to you will be great. This is only a request though, so you do not have to follow it._

_You will have to be trained more and more this year, so I request that you sever all friendships except the one to Miss Granger. With her, you will have to limit the amount that you have to talk to her. This is because of the fact that you will have almost no spare time after the training I shall give you. This sadly means that you will not be able to play Quidditch this year, so you will hand in your Quidditch robes. However, I am making you a Prefect due to the hard work you will be doing with me this year. I am sure that you will see my point of view, and hope to hear from you confirming everything that I have said._

Albus Dumbledore

_OoM 1__st__ Class Chief Warlock Supreme Mugwamp._

"The crazy old bastard" Harry said, "Actually telling me that I have to cut ties with everyone except Hermione, and that I must stop talking to her so much" and he shook his head. "And as for ordering me to hand over my Quidditch robes. _I_ pay for those robes and not him" and he fell silent as Hermione looked up from her letter.

"I agree with what you said, Harry" she told him.

"What does yours say?" Harry asked his girlfriend.

"He says that I have to cut down talking to you on account of you training to be a weapon to defeat evil, and that I should be start thinking of being friends with Ron Weasley more then I normally am" Hermione looked at Harry. "I think he is telling me to be Ron's girlfriend" and Harry exploded.

"Well if he wants to do try that – let him!" he said hotly, "I've an idea that will allow me to tell everyone at Hogwarts what Dumbledore has done to my life" and he spoke of his plan to Hermione.

"I thought" she said slowly, "That I was the clever one" after Harry had explained his plan.

"I wish I could see the look on Dumbledore's face" Harry said. "But we will be on our way to America by then" and Hermione wondered how they would be going there in the first place.

"If we take a long distance Portkey from the Ministry, then they will surely tell Dumbledore of our departure" and Harry again outshone her that day.

"We take Concorde" he said simply. "It is at least six hours behind us in New York, then all we have to do is to catch a connecting flight to as close as possible to Salem, and then work our way from there. If we see magical people in New York, then we can simply ask them to direct us to a point where we can get to their Ministry – or whatever they call it in the States" and Hermione agreed it was a good plan. They threw the letters in the fire place just as Hermione's parents came in. the pair explained to them what had happened, and told the adults that Harry and Hermione would still be going to the Salem Institute. There would be a few things needed like Harry getting a passport, and Hermione needing some new swimming outfits. This proved to be far more then just an average shopping trip however for the two teenagers.

#

"Personally I like all three choices" Harry said in reply to Hermione's latest question. Hermione beamed before going back into the changing room to go back to her regular clothes. Harry looked around the shop as he suspected that members of the Order of the Phoenix had been following him and Hermione round the shopping centre. For one short moment, he thought he had seen Nymphadora Tonks. Hermione came out a few minutes later with all the things she wanted to buy. They paid for the items at the checkout and then went to join Hermione's parents at the lifts. Harry looked over his shoulder and was now convinced that he, and possibly Hermione as well, had been followed all over the place and Harry was beginning to get mad.

"Something up?" Hermione asked him.

"I think Tonks is following us" Harry replied in a low whisper. Hermione looked behind them to see that Tonks was indeed about hundred feet away from me. The pair told Michael and Jane about their tail, and so they left at once. Harry was furious that Dumbledore was following him around like he needed guarding all the time. This was one of the reasons he was glad he would be leaving Hogwarts – he could actually not have the chance of having a year without being nearly killed. Hermione shared his sentiments, and also hoped that Harry could have a normal school year.

# # # # #

That evening, after dinner, the Grangers and Harry sat in the living room and thought about a film to watch.

"It is your turn, Harry" Hermione said.

"I want a comedy" he replied, "But not a modern thing. I'm in the mood for a classic cheesy laughter sort of a film" and he thought about it for some time before a slow smile spread over his face.

"I take it you have one?" asked Jane.

"Yes" Harry said, "It's become a firm favourite of mine – and not a Star Trek film either" he added.

"Oh?" said Hermione, "What is it then?" she asked her boyfriend.

"You'll see" Harry told her, and he went over to the video library, pulled one out, took it out of the case and put in the video player. After a few moments, the unmistakable sounds of the title music to _On The Buses_ filled the room. Harry loved it very much as he found the comedy so easy to predict and the script was cheesy. That was why he liked it so much as it was two guys sticking it to the bosses and living life in the sixties. Harry privately wondered what Hermione would look like in an extremely short skirt or dress. They watched the other two films in the series, and then went off to bed. As they parted at Hermione's bedroom door, she and Harry kissed each other goodnight. They wished they could sew the look on Dumbledore's face when he discovered what Harry had got the _Daily Prophet_ to do with their front page tomorrow evening. As it was, they would be well on their way to the Salem Institute.

# # # # #

Harry woke the next day bright and early, showered and dressed and then made his way down to the kitchen where Hermione was already up.

"Morning, Harry" she said, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I thought that I would make breakfast today" and Harry's face maintained the smile it had before.

"that's… that's nice" he said. Hermione picked up the hesitation in his words, and turned to face him.

"I know I am not a good cook or anything, but I've been reading some books on the subject and so I thought of giving it a go" Hermione said, and went back to the bacon and eggs she was frying. A second pan held some Cumberland sausages and Harry smiled as she knew they where his favourite type. Because of the fact that the Institute could take some non magical items, Harry was bringing a small fridge and a few days supply of them.

"I think hey will be brilliant" Harry said to her.

"Really?" she asked of him, "You don't have to eat it if you don't want to" Hermione added. Harry decided to tease his girlfriend a little as was his right.

"Of course I'll eat them" he told her, "I'm a Gryffindor. We're supposed to face danger bravely" and Hermione glared at him before she burst into giggles.

As they sat and had breakfast, the pair discussed what they would be doing that day. Harry wondered about anyone trying to stop him from leaving the country, whereas Hermione was wondering about if she had got enough books with her. Harry had already brought her two large interior trunks for her books. Was it too late to get another one? Michael and Jane came down to see that Harry had indeed survived Hermione's cooking and asked for some themselves. Hermione looked as pleased as punch at the request and set to work on cooking the food. After they had all finished, Harry and Hermione went upstairs for the trunks. This took less then five minutes to do as the pair shrunk them to fit better in the car. The garage had only enough space for one car until Harry paid for a large extension to allow it to fit a few more cars in. Not including the Granger family car – a Ford Mondeo - a Jaguar, Land Rover and Datsun Prairie sat inside. There was also a Austin Maestro taking pride of place in the middle of the expanded garage. It was painted in dark apple green, with the outside done with tiny little red trimmings. When asked why he wanted one of those, Harry shrugged and said that he liked the look of it. Hermione was sure he liked it because it provided the best possible snogging space in the back. If she was correct, then the girl was not going to complain at all.

"All done?" asked Jane as she slipped into the driver's seat.

"All ready" Harry replied as he fastened his seat belt. He had remarked on several occasions that he didn't need to wear one as he would simply create a shield for other cars to bounce off of. Both adult Grangers had refused to let Harry use his magic for something like that, and so Harry clunked and clicked with every trip. The drive to the airport was made in the Mondeo and they pulled out of the garage and headed off towards the motorway. Once on it, they headed towards London and Heathrow Airport. Hermione went over the flight details again while Harry nodded in agreement. He had never flown in an aircraft before and so was looking forward to the trip. He understood from Hermione that it was an enjoyable experience but Harry said he would make up his own mind thank you. The two of them boarded the plane which took off and climbed into the air. They had reached one of the properties that Harry owned in America when things got interesting Hogwarts.

# # # # #

Everyone in the hall wondered where Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had got to. Neither of them had been seen in public since the reading of Sirius's will. The pair had not boarded the train, but most had assumed that they had got to Hogwarts via a different method. When they had not appear at the Gryffindor table as per normal the rumours went round the hall. Students exchanged gossip as they looked at Dumbledore for clues – but he looked as puzzled as the rest of them. Ronald Weasley looked around and wondered where Hermione was. According to plan, he was to have her for himself while Ginny got Harry. His afore mentioned sister also looked as annoyed as her brother at the total lack of Harry. At the end of the feast, and before Dumbledore could rise and speak, hundreds of Owls entered the hall and dropped off a copy of that evenings _Prophet_. Dumbledore read his copy and was instantly furious at what it said.

**Why I Have Left**

**By**

**Harry James Potter**

_By now, my presence has been noted as missing from Hogwarts, and I am taking this chance to explain why. Albus Dumbledore – supposed all round good egg – has interfered with my life for the last time. For most of my life, I have lived with the worst kind of muggle that you could meet. Don't paint all muggles like this though, as most of them are very friendly. My Aunt, Uncle and Cousin treated me as a slave and a punch bag while I lived with them. If anything went wrong, then I was blamed for it, and punished with beatings so severe that I would pass out. A few times even had me going to the muggle hospital, but that old crackpot would always interfere._

_However, it is not that which I wish to speak about. Every year for the last five years, Dumbledore has been getting me to defeat more and more powerful people and creatures that are in the Dark Arts. This year I spent the summer with my best friend Hermione Granger, and he actually tried to stop me attending the will reading of Sirius Orion Black – my godfather. Not only that, but he sent me a letter a few days later with instructions… _no_… ORDERS to stop speaking to my friends and to more or less get together with Ginny Weasley. Below is a list of things that Dumbledore has done to interfere with my life. And I have not forgotten that he did nothing about what he did concerning the Blood Quills used on me by Delores Umbridge when she was teaching at Hogwarts._

A list was printed below for all to see and read. This caused Dumbledore to get some accusing looks from students and staff alike. The headmaster started to think how he could get out of this one without anything sticking to him.

_Because of this, I can no longer be in a place where he can decide on my entire life. As a result of this, I, Harry James Potter, do hereby quit the Gryffindor Quidditch Team and remove my name from the list of students who attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hermione Jane Granger has done the same. We will now be attending the Salem Institute to complete out schooling and hope to come back to a better magical Britain. These newspapers are also Portkeys. These are powerful enough to get past the wards around the castle, and only those who are truly my friends will be able to see the activation words at the bottom._

_Post can still reach me- Owls will know where to find me_

_Harry Potter_

Silence reigned as they finished reading the entire front page of the paper, and they all saw the look on Dumbledore's face. It was a mixture of many different types of anger – as if he had lost something valuable to him. It was a long five minutes before there was the sound of scraping chairs and feet as a student stood slowly up.

"_Accio Trunks_" said the red haired witch. There was still more silence until the summoned trunks came in the hall, and grounded at the witch's feet. Then another witch also stood up and raised her wand.

"_Accio Trunks_" said the second one. Her trunks also appeared by her feet, and the two of them picked up the copies of the paper and looked down to read something, then turned to face the top table.

"Albus Dumbledore, you are a total wanker", and both Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones did the impossible, and vanished from _inside_ Hogwarts.

**A/N:**

**Bet you didn't see THAT coming!**

**Hee hee (laughs heartily)**

**Well tell me what you think is going to happen!**

**Pixel**


	4. Who Else Escaped?

**Who Else Escaped?**

The two of them looked around at wherever they had appeared, but no signs of life existed in the room. They had appeared in what looked like a large sitting room and they explored the ground floor and found nothing odd. What they did find was a fair sized kitchen, a pantry, a pair of storerooms at either end of the ground floor and what looked to be a an empty room. The pair had tried different sorts of detection charms, but nothing appeared. They therefore assumed that the empty looking room was indeed an empty room. They looked through one of the kitchen windows and saw a lush green landscape. This gave them no clues as to where they had arrived at. It was a shared belief though that they could expect Harry and Hermione to make an entrance anytime soon.

"Now what do we do?" asked the first witch.

"What about getting some tea?" suggested the second witch.

#

**Hogwarts**

**Gryffindor Common Room**

"I can't believe that Hannah and Susan left like that. I mean it was like an instant decision" said Dean that night in the common room.

"Well Madam Bones is going to be royally pissed" remarked Neville.

"I could see the activation words at the bottom" said Parvati. The new 6th year Gryffindors had grouped together in one corner of the common room, and everyone seemed to be leaving them to their own devices, though this might have had something to do with the privacy charms cast around them. Seamus looked at her before replying.

"I know that I was acting stupid towards Harry last year, but I could see them too" he said.

"The question is: Do we go and follow Hannah and Susan?" asked Lavender.

"I'm not sure" said Dean.

"Well with Harry gone" Neville said, "Malfoy is going to rule this place with his band of snakes and Death Eater relations. I'm seriously thinking of quitting Hogwarts and taking my chances with Harry – wherever he is" and the others had to agree with him on that point.

"Perhaps we should wait and see what happens" said Parvati again.

"But what if Dumbledore does something to stop people getting out of the castle?" asked Dean.

"We could simply pack our stuff, shrink our trunks, go down to the broom shed and fly far enough away to get past the main gates" Seamus said.

"Mmm" Lavender said, and then she suddenly thought of something. "What about the Lovegood girl?" and they understood the concern. She was going to be a prime target with Harry gone for Malfoy to attack – not counting Neville of course.

#

It was the next morning when all of the 6th year Gryffindors ended up in the Hospital Wing. Luna Lovegood had also ended up there after being physically assaulted by Malfoy and his goons while Professor Severus Snape watched on. Dumbledore of course did not want to hear bad about Snape, and so he did not give out any punishments to any of the Slytherins. When they had seen the state that Luna had been brought in in – blood pouring from head forehead, nose and other places – the Gryffindors had decide that enough was enough. Dean went over and asked Luna if she was going to join them in leaving Hogwarts.

"You would get away from Malfoy and his group" said Parvati in a low voice. "I know that we didn't talk much to you last year in the DA, but any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine" and she put out her hand which Luna took slowly. It was as if she didn't quite believe her own eyes.

"We'll go back and get all of our stuff before trying the Portkeys. If they don't work, then we steal some brooms from the shed and fly out of the wards and try from the other side of the gates" Lavender said. Luna was silent for a while until replied to anything that was said to her.

"A lot of my stuff will have been stolen and hidden by other people in Ravenclaw, so I will need to get them back" she said, and Neville nodded.

"We can walk you back to Ravenclaw, get your stuff, shrink your trunk, then get out with us and we leg it" Seamus said.

"Alright" Luna said, and that is what they did.

They wrote a message to Madam Pomfrey explain that the six of them had discharged themselves and had returned to their houses to shower and change into some nice clean and fresh robes. After they had done that, they wrote out individual notes to Professor McGonagall – Professor Flitwick in Luna's case – explaining that they could no longer be at a Hogwarts that allowed Malfoy's bullying to go unpunished. They gathered in the library with trunks in their pockets and tried the Portkeys, but as they expected, they didn't work now. Their solution was to go down to the broom sheds and take a broom each and fly outside of the protection. They shed was locked up, but one good blast from Neville's wand blew the door clean off the hinges.

"Remind me to never get on your bad side" said Dean. They took a broom each and soared into the sky, and headed off towards the main gates. As they did so, they passed over the greenhouses, and they could see Professor Sprout gazing up at them in puzzlement. The Gryffindors and Slytherins also looked up from the Care of Magical Creatures class and they could see them all wondering what was going on. They reached the edge of the school grounds, but found an invisible barrier which prevented them from leaving by air. Knowing that this would have set off alarms in Dumbledore's office which would mean him coming to investigate, they dropped to almost ground level and flew through the gates themselves. The six of them landed at once just as Dumbledore appeared holding the tail of his Phoenix.

"What are you doing outside the school?" he asked. "I suggest that you better get back inside and go to your lessons" the headmaster smiled as if they would obey him without question. He was very much mistaken in this case as it turned out!

"Not this time, Professor Dumbledore" said Seamus, and the six took the copies of the _Prophet_ from inside their robes.

"I insist you give me those at once" Dumbledore thundered.

"ALBUS DUMBLEDORE! YOU ARE A TOTAL WANKER!" said the group in a loud voice, and the Portkeys activated at once and removed them from the grounds.

#

"Whatever happens, I can not get the door to open" Hannah said.

"I bet that it is something that Harry came up with" Susan said. "We get in and stay safe in here from anyone trying to get us back to Hogwarts" and Hannah nodded.

"It does sound like something he would do" she agreed. "But I wouldn't worry too much really. Wherever he is, he is still alive as the wards would vanish if he died" and Susan looked at her friend.

"If Harry dies, then we might just as well wave a white flag at Voldemort and surrender" the former Hufflepuff said. "No, I'm more concerned as to what my Aunt is going to say when she finds out I've run off" Susan added.

"As long as you are safe, I don't think she will mind too much here you are" Hannah said, and sipped her second cup of tea. Both girls still ran on UK time which explained the fact they where awake at 12AM local time. It was the consensus of both girls that they had arrived in America, but where they did not know exactly. They were drinking from their cups when a series of pops could be heard coming from the living room. The cups went straight onto the saucers, and wands came out.

"Stun them?" suggested Susan, and her best friend agreed without argument. They crept slowly to the door and heard voices coming from the other side. One quick push of the door and both ex-Hufflepuffs burst into the room and pointed their wands at a startled group of people they knew well enough.

"_What are you doing here?_" they asked each other at the same time.

"The first hour after breakfast and Malfoy put us all in the hospital wing. Snape comes along and takes points from _us_ for defending ourselves. Dumbledore intends to only give Malfoy detention for just one attack, so we decided to do what you did. He's strengthened the protective barriers around the castle and grounds though, so we nicked some brooms and flew to outside the gates and activated the Portkeys" said Dean.

"Harry around?" asked Neville, looking around the sitting room for the now fellow ex-Gryffindor.

"No" Hannah said, "But we've not seen him either/ we think that maybe he and Hermione have stopped off somewhere and then decided to complete the journey" she added, putting her wand back into her pocket.

"So… where are we?" asked Parvati.

"We have to be somewhere in America" Susan said, "But the doors are locked and we cant get out – even using the standard unlocking charms. We even tried _Bombarda_, but the door simply absorbed the power" and the new arrivals just looked around.

"Guess we wait for Harry and Hermione then" said Seamus. "But what do we do for now?" he asked.

"I don't know" said Susan.

"But we've got a giant pot of tea brewed" Hannah added.

"Lead on, oh mighty one" said Lavender with a smile, and they all went into the kitchen, made tea, and brought it into the sitting room. When they sat down on chairs and sofas, the fireplace sprang into life and started to warm them with a roaring fire.

"Personally" Luna said, speaking for the first time since getting to the house, "I can not wait to see what Harry's face will be when he sees us al. I do not expect he thought of ten people leaving Hogwarts" and the others looked at her with some puzzlement.

"How do you get to that number?" asked Parvati.

"There is the six that just escaped, Hannah and Susan who are already here plus Harry and Hermione. That makes a nice round ten" Luna said, and the others couldn't fault her for the math.

"Well wherever he is, I would like to thank Harry for allowing us the chance to get out of Hogwarts" Luna said. "He was the first person that ever called me a friend, and…" the girl fell silent.

"We understand" said Lavender quietly, and she put an arm around Luna's shoulder. "We all wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Harry, and I don't mean the Portkeys either. He has survived attacks from You-Know-Who a few times and survived. If Harry hadn't somehow stopped him as a baby, then I doubt some of us would be here" she added.

"I know I wouldn't" Dean said. He was muggleborn after all, and Dean was unlikely to ever be top on Voldemort's Christmas Card List.

"Neither would I" Seamus said, "You-Know-Who hated the Irish" he shrugged, but the others wisely decided to drop the matter.

"I'm tired out" said Hannah after a while. She looked over to the large Grandfather put it was showing only American time. "Feels like I've been up for two days" and she stretched out her arms and yawned.

"We'd all better try to get some sleep" Parvati advised.

"I hope we don't miss Harry and Hermione getting here. We will know won't we?" asked Luna as she followed Hannah and Susan up a large set of stairs.

"Oh we'll know when Harry gets here" Neville said with a laugh, "We'll know when he gets here" and he ended up like the others on the beginning of a large corridor.

"These" said Susan, gesturing at the corridor with a wave of her hand, "Are bedrooms. Me and Hannah already have the first two on the right, but the others are all free. There are two more on this floor, and four on the next floor. The one above that only has a little landing before you hit a door that's locked" she finished.

"That has to be the master bedroom" Neville said, and he walked off to find his bedroom for at least the night. He and everyone else knew that Hermione would be sharing a bedroom with Harry. They had not a single problem with that, and the girls wondered if they could ask about Harry's staying power.

#

Harry and Hermione woke early the next morning, and it took them a while to figure out that they had not gone to Hogwarts. They showered, dressed and went down for breakfast which they both enjoyed. When they had arrived in New York, the pair had decided to break the journey to the house into two parts. Hermione took the chance to purchase some books on American history, while Harry had looked up flights to airport before meeting up with Hermione for an open top bus ride.

"No matter where you go" he had said to Hermione while on the bus, "You will always find a Routemaster" and Hermione had smiled before leaning into Harry and enjoyed the ride. The bus ride – not Harry.

When they had finished breakfast, they retrieved their trunks and then checked out before getting a taxi to the airport. They boarded the plane for Logan International Airport and Harry marvelled at the sight of the ground rushing beneath him. This was only his second time in a plane, and he considered that looking down from his Firebolt didn't really count in this case. Besides the fact that Hermione was next to him on this occasion, no broom stick had ever achieved 33,050ft before. One they had landed, the pair looked at a picture of the house that Harry owned near the Salem Institute, and they concentrated on apperating to the front door. Harry was about to put his hand on the door before pulling away and getting his wand out from his pocket.

"Something wrong?" asked Hermione.

"People inside" Harry replied, "It might be those people who got here, but it could also be a party of the Fried Chicken Wings club waiting to take me and you back to Hogwarts by force" and Hermione nodded before pulling out her wand as well. Harry opened the door and they went inside. Nobody was in view, but they could be under concealment charms or otherwise disguised.

WHO ARE YOU? Asked a voice.

"The house wants to know who you are" Hermione said, "So it can accept you as its owner" she added. Harry nodded and addressed the house.

"My name is Harry James Potter" he said, "Son of James and Lilly Potter. I am this house as is my given right from inheritance" and there was a little pale blue light that entered Harry before the house spoke again.

WELCOME, MASTER HARRY!" it said. THERE ARE ALREADY PEOPLE HERE it added. At that moment, there was the sound of feet running down the stairs and the pair turned to see Hannah, Susan, Lavender, Luna, Dean, Seamus, Neville and both of the Patil twins come down.

"HARRY!" they said at once. Hugs, handshakes and kisses later, and Harry and Hermione had been told all that had happened. Harry was furious over the whole Malfoy incident, but glad that they had all managed to get here safely. One thing puzzled him though, and he asked Padma the circumstances of her arrival at the house. It turned out that while not a true friend of Harry's, the bond she had with her twin had helped her to activate the Portkey and bring her here. It was much of a surprise to her as it was to Parvati and the others when she had turned up inside the house.

"So…" Neville said, "What do we do now?" he asked, and Harry turned to him.

"I have a meeting with the Institute's deputy tomorrow" he said, "And I'll ask him to give you all places as well" and Neville seemed happy with that. But before he could mutter another word, there was a pop, and a familiar voice spoke.

"Harry Potter?"

**A/N:**

Am I not a meanie for ending like that?!!? If you have any ideas as to who might have entered the house at the end of the chapter, then by all means suggest.

**Now I know I said I was going on a break, and so I shall, but there is an extra few days, and I wanted to get this out of the way before going to York (the place I'm going train spotting at).**

**The other reason I have posted is because I want to draw your attention to a review sent to my other fanfic, "I'm Not Going". The user calling themselves Emeraldessence posted what can only be described as an out and out attack on the storyline and plots. You'll find it on the first page when you read the reviews, or just select chapter 4 of the I'm not Going reviews – either way you'll find it. I demand an apology from him/her, and if I do not receive one by 11am on the day I next post, then a state of war shall exist between myself and my allies comprising of my most loyal reviewers, and this… person. By the way, if you click on the users pen name, then you will find no actual stories written. How can you send a bad review to someone if you do not write something yourself? If you send him a message, then please send me a copy in a PM –NOT A REVIEW!**

**Anyway… on to better things..**

**Well done to all those who guessed Michael Dorn – Lt. Commander Worf from Star Trek TNG and also DS9. Special mention to Proffessor Albus Martin and Cateagle who mentioned the fact I had even described the uniform. No references for this chapter I'm afraid as I thought your brains could all do with a nice rest.**

**For the next chapter, we'll see the meeting, and Harry writing for and getting permission for a cool thing to be granted to him and his friends. We'll also see the reactions of other people to the mass withdrawl of pupils.**

**I would like to announce something to you. Me and Miz636 have joined forces to co-write a fic. As it wouldn't be fair to post it on one or the other's page, we have created the account with the name of 'The Miz-Pixel Corp'. you'll find all of my Harry Potter fics as favourites as well as Miz's. We haven't got anything yet posted yet, but we are working on it. What we **_**do**_** have is a message to you all, and you can just search for us… tell me what you think of the funny thing at the end of the homepage on The Miz-Pixel Corp!**

**Oh, nearly forgot. I have a poll running on my homepage, please vote.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and if you wish to suggest something, then by all means please do so. All suggestions are read and considered – after all, I value your comments**

**Reviews and PM's in the normal manner**

**Pixel**


	5. Settling In – Dumbledore’s Reactions

**Settling In – Dumbledore's Reactions**

Harry turned to look at the owner of the voice, but he found nobody at all. He adjusted his view downwards and saw one of the only house elves he liked – Dobby. He was dressed in a white sheet which he wore like a toga, and a tea cosy that was perched on his head. He turned right round to see Harry looking at him, and a big smile crossed over his face.

"HARRY POTTER SIR!" he said, and raced over and hugged Harry's legs.

"Nice to see you as well, Dobby" he said, patting the top of the elf's covered head. "So what brings you here?" Harry asked.

"Dobby read all about Harry Potter's leaving of Hogwarts" Dobby said, and he pried himself away from Harry's left leg. "Dobby thinks and thinks, and says to himself that the bestest way to help his friend Harry Potter, is to leave Hogwarts and offer my services to you" and Harry looked to the others.

"Not bad at all" Dean said, "Only a few hours here, and you have your own elf" and some of them laughed. Hermione though frowned as she thought of something, and then spoke to Harry in a whisper. Harry nodded several times before addressing the expectant elf.

"I have decided that I will take you into my service" he said, and Harry would have sworn the elf grew several inches. "I will pay you the sum of one Galleon a week, and every Friday evening off. What about that?" Harry offered.

"Dobby accepts!" Dobby said, and he looked very happy indeed. "Does my master have any rules for Dobby to follow?" the elf asked.

"Wait a moment" Harry said, and he went into conference with the others. Five minutes later, and Harry had a short list of rules for Dobby to follow. "The first rule is that you do not call me master, or call anyone a formal name. The only exception is when I declare a formal occasion at the house or any other place. The second is that you do not punish yourself at all. If you think you have done something wrong, then come and tell one of us. We shall decide what to do with you accordingly. Rule three is this: failure to keep at least three Cumberland sausages under magical preservation will result in instant dismissal from my service" and Dobby accept this as well. He did however have a question for Harry, and Harry told him to go ahead.

"Would Harry Potter mind if I brought someone to your employment?" Dobby said.

"Who is that?" asked Susan.

"Dobby has a friend called Winky, Miss" Dobby replied. "She works at Hogwarts as well after her last master threw her out for telling the truth. Freedom has not been very kind to Winky, to tell the truth, and her behaviour has been… shocking" Dobby hesitated before saying the last word.

"What do you mean, Dobby?" asked Seamus.

"Winky has been… offering herself to the other male house elves" Dobby said, and a tear fell from his eyes. Harry looked at the elf, and decided upon something.

"Go back and get Winky, Dobby" he ordered, and Dobby beamed before vanishing with a pop. Two or three minutes later and he appeared with Winky. The other house elf appeared to be in a terrible state. Her clothes, such as they where, appeared to have not been cleaned in some time, and she appeared to be drunk or suffering from a hangover. Hermione begged Harry to take her into his service before she went too far to be saved.

"Please" she whispered, and Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek.

"Winky?" Harry said to the elf, but she made no sign that she was aware of him. Harry did something that would bring her out of the stupor – he smacked her hard on the face. The sharp pain brought her around, and she focused on Harry.

"Harry Potter?" she asked slurring her speech, and Harry quietly spoke.

"My good friend Dobby has told me a few things about you" Harry said, "Would you like to come and serve my house?" he asked. Winky nodded carefully. Harry explained the same rules he had done with Dobby, and Winky accepted – even the wages.

The group went back up to sleep off the different time zones between the UK and the USA, and Harry gave instructions for Dobby and Winky to wake them up at 7AM local time. They accepted the instruction and then went around the house to see what needed to be fixed or otherwise sorted out after the time spent unoccupied. Tea bags, milk and sugar appeared to be the only things in the pantry so Dobby went off in search of food to last them a few days. After that, the group from Hogwarts would be at the Institute and would not require the house to be stocked up so much. While he was out, Winky went around the ground floor and made a list of all the furniture, it being part of her house elf duties after all. Dobby returned an hour later with several large brown paper bags containing things for the pantry and kitchen. The two elves put the fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, cheese and everything else away before finding somewhere to sleep.

#

Dobby did as instructed, and woke them all up at 7AM as asked to, and then brought them cups of tea in bed. Years of serving the Malfoys had taught him one very useful thing – people need tea before doing anything else. A discovery of two bathrooms enabled them to shower without a large line forming outside, but Harry had discovered that he had one in his suite for his own use. He would use it in the morning, and use the two in the corridor for other times. The Deputy Principal of the Institute would be meeting them to explain more about the school later that morning, and Harry wondered about his reaction when he saw more pupils wanting to attend the school. Dorn would also tell them about the uniform, the school rules and answer any questions they might have. He met the rest of the escapees downstairs in the kitchen where the elves had made platters of food to eat. After the stuff had been cleared away, they did what they wanted until Dorn came, and Hermione went to see what books the house stocked. She was glad she had done so, as she had discovered several rare books such as _Three of Eight, Not The Only Red Head_ and a first edition copy of _The Darling Buds of May_, a favourite of both Harry and Hermione. Lavender, Parvati and Padma talked about fashion as always, Dean had discovered an art studio and, with Harry's permission, claimed it as his own. He was joined by Luna who was also a fair artist. Neville, helped by Seamus, went into the garden to see what plants grew, while Hannah and Susan discussed what her Aunt would say when she found out that her niece had left Hogwarts and followed Harry to a new country and school. Hannah said that she might even send Aurors to take her back by force, but Susan disagreed with her. They knew that Harry would fight them all before they had chance to get to her, but she decided to write her Aunt a letter explaining what had happened, and why she had left Hogwarts and the UK. While all this was going on, Harry was busy reading the _Daily_ _Prophet_ which Dobby had got for him – though how Harry didn't ask.

**WIZARDING BRITAIN REACTS**

_It has been revealed that not only have Harry Potter and his friend, Hermione Granger, left Hogwarts to attend a different school, but other students have also left. According to eyewitnesses, both Hannah Abbott and Susan Bone, niece of the DMLE head Amelia Bones, left during the start of term feast. The next day, all remaining 6__th__ Year Gryffindors, apart from Ronald Weasley left, as well as a 5__th__ and 6__th__ Year Ravenclaws. According to some reports, the group took brooms and flew to the boundaries of the grounds. After encountering strong wards, it appears they landed and walked through the gates. If one report is to be believed, it was at this point that Professor Dumbledore attempted to stop them from leaving, but the group activated the Portkeys and left to a location only Mr Potter knows of. When questioned about Mr Potter and his friends leaving Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore had this to say:_

"_While this is disturbing, I do not believe that any harm will happen to the missing students. Mr Potter suffered a recent loss and is therefore not mentally competent at the moment. In order to protect his interests, I will be filing to be granted control of his family assets, in order to protect them from any possible threats. If Harry is reading this, then I would like to ask him to return so that I may help him to train in order to defeat Lord Voldemort"_

_When he was asked about the security of Hogwarts after the apperating of two students from the Great Hall, Dumbledore replied:_

"_I have cast stronger wards around the castle, and that will stop anyone from apperating into Hogwarts .in these troubled times, we must take extra security measures. Once again, I ask Mr Potter to return to Hogwarts and allow me to train him for the fight against Voldemort"_

_When asked about the filing of the papers, Professor Dumbledore replied that Mr Potter would be forced to attend the healing as his mental state had been called into question. He also said that if Mr potter was declared competent, then he would be give him the chance to turn control of the assets to himself while Mr Potter had more important things on his mind_

"WHO THE FUCK DOES HE THINK HE IS?" Harry shouted in anger.

"Professor Albus Dumbledore" Dobby replied, then moved away when he saw that it had not helped at all to calm Harry down. The others came rushing in to see what had caused Harry to blow his top. He created copies of the paper to let them read the article, and it was Hermione who spoke first.

"The smegging bastard" she said. "He knows you got emancipated, so the smug idiot wants to get you declared mentally incompetent. We'll have to go back to Britain for this hearing you know" Hermione added.

"I thought as much" Harry said.

"We'll come as well" said Dean.

"You trusted us enough to make us your true friends" Hannah said.

"I don't think that Hermione could take a year without Harry" Lavender said, and Hermione glared at her.

"Leaving Hogwarts was the best thing we did" said Neville.

"If Dumbledore wants us to go back, then I'm not going" said Luna loyally.

"I think that leaving home was good" Hermione said, though I can always visit my parents anytime I want to" and they all said that they would return with Harry to support him at his hearing. Harry thanked each and every one of them, and then there was a repeated series of three chimes sounding through the house. Harry instantly went for his wand, and sent Dobby to open the door.

"Good Morning" the elf said, "Can I help you?" he asked the person.

"I have an appointment with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger" said a male voice, "My name is Michael Dorn" and Dobby glanced at Harry who nodded an alright to him. Dorn entered the house and was shown into the sitting room, though Harry still kept his wand trained on the man.

"What colour robes did you wear when you came to see us at Hermione's house?" he asked him.

"Yellow robes down to my waist. It was black from there on, and I also had black shoulders on them as well" Dorn said calmly. Harry flipped his wand up and to one side and put it away. Dean and Seamus looked at Dorn as if they knew him from somewhere, and it was Dean who asked the question.

"Forgive me, but I'm muggle born" he began, "Are you a Klingon?" Dean asked.

"No" Dorn replied, "But I play one on TV" and then he looked at Harry. "I didn't know that you would be having friends round" and Harry shook his head.

"They are here because they are my truest friends, and also because they can not put up with the bullying attitude by certain members of the students at Hogwarts" Harry said. "I was hoping that they could join me at Salem" and Dorn frowned and scratched his chin in thought.

"I should think we can just about manage that" he said at last, "Though the dorms would be overfilled. We have some miniature house when a large amount of people visit for a while. I will talk to the Principal later today and ask him about it. To be honest though, I can not see any problems with it at all. Now I came here to answer any questions you might have so ask away" Dorn said. Hermione was the first to ask a question.

"What are the names of the houses?" she enquired.

"We have four houses which are called Lovell, Washington, Mayflower and Pocahontas" Dorn said.

"What I want to know is what sort of uniform is required? Because we are entering so late in the day, we will need to get a move on before the term starts in a few days" Harry said.

"We do not have a formal school uniform, except for those days when it is a special occasion. In that case, we ask that everyone wear black capes and robes – not unlike your Hogwarts Robes I believe" Dorn said. They asked many questions, and received many answers in return. They got told that they did not require getting a wand made in America, and that they would get all of the course books when they arrived at the Institute. Dorn left to make arrangements for those people he hadn't known about, saying that he would see them at his office at the start of term.

With nothing better to do, Harry used his wand and blasted a hole in the ground. Once that was done, he started a big fire and, assisted by Dean, made a barbeque. He left Dobby and Dean to the cooking while he went back in the house and found the Patil twins sitting in kitchen. There was something he wanted to ask them about the barbeque which he was not sure about.

"Can we help you?" asked Parvati. Harry was one of the few people who could tell the Patil twins apart. Then again, living in the same house as them for the best part of a year did help.

"Well I was wondering what you wanted to eat" Harry began, "Because I know that both your names are Indian, so I wondered if you were Hindus" and he looked down at the floor.

"No need to be embarrassed, Harry" Padma said, "We got it all the time back at school. We just have the names, but we are not Hindus. So we'll have as many burgers and slabs of meat as possible please" she finished, and her sister nodded in agreement.

Harry thanked them and then went off to find Hermione. When he didn't find her in the library, he went up to her room – knocking before going in. He found her sitting on the edge of her bed with a large book on her lap. Harry knew exactly what the title was as he had given it to her before they decided to leave Hogwarts. It was a collection of all the good times they had had at Hogwarts, along with other pictures. The other pictures included ones such as Hermione's broomstick lesson in first year. He had to go through his memories to get the next picture – Hermione-Cat. There was also a picture of Hermione and Harry during the time they had broke Sirius free, and it was there for the look of pure terror on Hermione's face when they went into the air on Buckbeak. He had also added a picture from the time Hermione had nodded off into her soup. Her hair had been as red as the Weasleys for a little while. Fifth year had a picture of Harry and Hermione in the common room late one night whilst trying to find useful spells for Harry to use during the Tri-Wizard. The picture was not of them studying, but one of Hermione curled up asleep with her head in Harry's lap. His girlfriend was sure he had put it in there to make her parents frown. The last year was one of Hermione helping him to sort out stuff for the DA – in other words '_Command and Control_' mode. Harry briefly wondered who would run the club, if anyone at all would take it on. As he walked over, Hermione looked up at him.

"I was just going over some of our more fun times" she said, and Hermione closed the book and put it on the covers. "We are doing the right thing, aren't we?" she asked.

"Of course we are" Harry said, sitting down and putting an arm around her. "We just need to get away from Dumbledore" and he gave her a hug. When she broke away after a moment, Harry cupped her chin with one hand, and pulled her forward for a kiss. As their lips touched, Hermione closed her eyes and put on a dreamy expression, and the girl was in total bliss. The kiss turned a little passionate, but Hermione was well aware that Harry would take it no further then where she wanted to go that particular time.

"I could get used to this" she said as they pulled apart.

"So could I" said Harry, "Lets go downstairs and see if the Barbie is ready" and Hermione giggled.

"Burning plastic dolls are we, Mr potter?" she asked, sounding just like Severus Snape.

"Of course" replied Harry with a hurt look, "Would I be burning anything else?" he asked as they came downstairs.

"Maybe not you, but I think someone is burning the food" Hermione said as her nose winkled from the smell of slightly burning food. Harry dashed outside in time to see the food burning. He arrived in enough time to save it from going bad, and Hermione watched as he dished it out to the others, all the time getting fresh buns supplied from Winky. They ate in the brilliant sunshine and washed it down fresh chilled pumpkin juice. The group felt too full to do anything else afterwards, so they had the two elves levitate them back into the house and up to their respective rooms. Most of them fell asleep, but Harry remained awake and wondered what exactly was going on with regards to the Order of the Phoenix.

# # # # #

"What do you mean you do not know where he is?" asked an irate red haired woman.

"He did not turn up on the express, and neither did Miss Granger. I wonder if they have been taken by Voldemort's forces" said Dumbledore. "Do not worry, Molly, I will make sure he gets back here. I expect to have control over his accounts and assets by the middle of October"

"I want everything that you promised to me in exchange for the spying" Molly Weasley replied. "We put ourselves in terrible danger, looking after that brat during the summer holidays. We deserve to have all of his money, house and everything else he owns" and Dumbledore agreed.

#

Dumbledore was still wondering what was going on when the first years came in. He put it to the back of his mind after they had been sorted and had begun on the feast. Towards the end, but before he had chance to stand up any say anything at all, hundreds of Owls came sweeping in and began a comprehensive paper dropping campaign. Each was identically printed as normal. What was _not_ normal was the fact that the front page contained a printed letter from Harry. He nearly exploded in fury when he had finished reading the article, and was about at the same state as Ginny and Ron. He was going to send them all to bed when a student stood up, got joined by a housemate and then insulted before they both vanish from sight after calling their trunks to their sides. Dumbledore only just managed to keep his cool and get the students all off to bed.

He spent most of the night trying to figure out where and how Harry had escaped. Knowing that Salem was in America, he contacted the Ministry and discovered that neither Harry or Hermione had used a long range Portkey, and he wondered how. It was at that point he realised the pair had to have gone by muggle methods, but Dumbledore knew it was too late to stop them from leaving. He didn't sleep much that night, and then he started hearing the stories of Draco Malfoy attacking other students. Whatever penalties the teachers would award him, the headmaster would simply cancel them out. It was sometime in the afternoon when he detected the wards around the castle being attacked, and so he made the short range apparition to the point in question. It was a common misconception that you couldn't apparate in Hogwarts. So long as the trip was inside the boundaries of the castle, then you could go anywhere. The reason that the two Hufflepuffs had left the previous night was a bit harder. The Portkeys they had used had been designed, so it seemed, to be one way items. This allowed the Portkeys to channel all of the available power into breaking past the wards – something that he hoped to keep a lid on. He appeared next to the front gates and discovered the group of Gryffindors and the single Ravenclaw.

#

When they had left, Dumbledore wondered how exactly he could explain this to the public, let alone a rather pissed off Madam A Bones. What he didn't know was that Susan had already written to her Aunt, and it contained many assurances that she was alright and that the girl was safe. Susan also asked that her Aunt not poke around asking for questions concerning the events of the last few days – she was perfectly happy where she was. Dumbledore didn't know about this letter, and he called for a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix for later that day. When he tried to get into Number 12, he was refused entry to the building. Fuming, he went to Gringotts to discover what was going on, only to find that Harry had sold the house for One Knut to someone else, and that the new owner had not allowed Dumbledore or anyone else entry. When he asked who the owner was, Dumbledore's jaw dropped.

Tom Marvolo Riddle

**A/N:**

**Am I not a sneaky and surprising one?**

**So… the group have started to settle down, they've arranged living accommodation at the Institute, and had a good barbeque as well!**

**My apologies to all those who asked who the owner of the voice was – I told you it was Voldemort. Sorry… but I wanted to flip you all out a bit.**

**In the next chapter, I plan to have them arrive at the school and the start of term. Now I don't know about American school much, so I am making up my own term times and such – adding real holidays and such. There will also be a surprise in store for them when they find out what Harry has been up to.**

**Now to other matters;**

**Anon/Unsigned reviews are disabled for a period of one week because of the most recent attack by someone known only as mom. Also, I would like to welcome on board users # and # who join my forces of good. If I get more bad reviews, then my fic that contains the list of all the bad reviewers will be released again. Ask those people on my homepage for more information.**

**Again: Anon/Unsigned reviews are disabled for one week.**

**I will not be here to talk to on Sunday, as I am taking a car trip up to Scotch Corner (featured in **_**The Great Hogwarts Road Trip**_**) just to sit and watch the trucks go past…**

**Some of you sent me messages concerning my other fics. True Friends 2 is sill active, but I want to finish off I'm Not Going first before I think about it. Same as the fic that also has my pen name **_**Pixel And Stephanie Forever**_**. Not my first fic, but the reason my pen name is the way it is.**

**Regards:**

**Pixel**


	6. Bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew

**Bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew**

**or**

**The Case**

Harry spent a lot of the remaining time that day in conference with Hermione and Padma. He considered them the two smartest people he knew, and they started to plot a defence of Harry's mental capacity. It took them a few hours, but the three of them finally came up with something. Not wanting to give away where they lived, Harry asked Dobby to take a message to the Ministry requesting the date and time when the case would be. The reply was that Dumbledore had ordered that it take place the next day at ten thirty in the morning. Harry did they math and worked out that it came to about four thirty in the morning local time, which didn't please any of them at all. The two house elves started making sleeping potions for them all to use, and this would make them feel refreshed when they woke them up in time to go to the hearing. The others had still said that they wanted to come with Harry – even with their waking up at 4:30 in the morning. Harry though was not all that pleased, and kept about from the rest for that evening.

"Something wrong?" asked Hermione. Harry turned from the fireplace to see Hermione standing next to him. He waved her to a seat next his before answering her.

"Just worried about the hearing tomorrow" Harry said.

"Don't be" Hermione replied. "You have nothing to worry about at all. Dumbledore is just trying to get our money and assets. All you have to do is to present your case to the court and they will see that Dumbledore is just upset at losing all eleven of us" she added.

"But this is mister, '_I'm the greatest good wizard that has ever lived_', Hermione" Harry replied bitterly, "Do you really think that they will take my word over his?" he asked.

"I see your point" his girlfriend replied, "But as long as you keep to the plan we've drawn up, then I see no reason why they will rule against you. If they do" she continued, "Then we get the hell out of dodge" and Harry looked at her in surprise.

"When did you start using that expression?" he asked.

"When in Rome…" Hermione quoted, and this brought a smile to Harry's face. "And if they try to use force against you, then they will have to get past ten very pissed people first. Then there is you of course" and Harry knew what she as saying. The others would defend Harry until they were no longer capable of doing so.

"Thanks" he said quietly, and he kissed Hermione on the cheek. "What are the others doing?" Harry enquired.

"Most of them are playing tag in the garden, but Luna is talking to Dobby and Winky about something I'm not allowed to know about" Hermione replied, and then a thought seemed to pass through her intelligent mind. She traced a finger down Harry's front, stopping just on top of his belt. "We could do something else" she said seductively.

"I'll take the something else" Harry said, and Hermione took his hand and led him up the stairs to the bed in her room. Once the door was shut, Hermione pounced on Harry and kissed him on the lips. Harry returned the gesture, tilting his head to one side slightly and slipping one hand to Hermione's back. His girlfriend didn't seem to mind as she was currently running her fingers through Harry's hair, and for some reason traced the outline of his ears. After a minute of kissing, Harry was bold enough to move his other hand to the chest of his girlfriend and lightly trace the outline of her breasts, very gently massaging them at the same time.

"I love you" Hermione whispered.

"I love you too" Harry said back. While Harry was busy, Hermione was running her hands up and down the Harry's back – feeling the smoothness of his skin, and also the faintness of the scars – testament to the years of abuse suffered at the hands of the Dursleys. When she could, Hermione was going to curse all three of the Dursleys. She might get fined or sent to Azkaban for a while, but it would be well worth it in her opinion. Her thoughts got interrupted by Harry starting to remove the t-shirt she was wearing, and the girl pulled back to allow him to do so better. It all went down from there, and soon Hermione's bedroom floor was littered with discarded clothes. The pair lay on the bed, completely naked, but entirely happy. Hermione had been more then willing to go the whole way, but Harry had wanted to wait for a while. Apart from the showers at Hogwarts, this was the first time anyone had seen him naked. He needed a little while to get used to the idea of being so with Hermione, and she understood completely his explanation.

"Theres always more things we can try" she added, and Harry briefly wondered what had happened to Hermione. She was never this passionate about classes… actually yes she was come to think of it!

#

The group woke up at a little before half past three, and proceeded to shower, dress and go down for breakfast. They all looked a little bleary eyed, but that was most likely down to the fact that they hadn't quite adjusted to American time yet. Worse was the fact that tomorrow would be when they would all start at Salem. As they lived a simple fireplace journey away, then it wasn't so bad. They could spent the whole of tomorrow in bed adjusting to the time zones. Or they could return from the trial and take sleeping draughts – that choice was up to them.

"We better be going" said Neville. The grandfather clock was showing the time as being 4AM. They stood up and most of them put on their cloaks. Harry, Hermione, Dean and Seamus put on muggle looking coats instead – knowing it would upset many of the Purebloods at the court. When they had finished, they picked up a specially made Portkey that Harry had brought with him from Gringotts – it being sent before he and Hermione had left the country – and muttered the activation words.

"Fried Chicken" and they vanished and appeared in the Ministry Atrium. The sudden appearance caused people to go for the wands, but replaced them when they saw it was Harry. They looked more at those around him, more then at him for a few moments. As he looked around, Harry saw a small squad of Aurors advancing on him.

"You will come with us" said the leader.

"Why?" asked Harry.

"You will be taken to a holding cell" came the reply.

"On whose orders?" Hermione enquired.

"The Chief Warlock gave the orders" said the leader. Hermione looked round at the others with raised eyebrows. Dumbledore seemingly wanted to put Harry in a bad light.

"I don't think so" Harry said.

"You will do as you are told boy!" the leader raised his voice. "I can see why Dumbledore wanted to get you declared insane" and his wand dropped from his sleeve and he aimed it at Harry.

"No you don't" Harry said, but with no time to get his wand, Harry fell back to Emergency Procedure One. With one well aimed and powerful kick, Harry kicked the Auror in the balls and immobilised him. While the other Aurors looked at him in surprise, Harry's friends drew their wands.

"There are four of you, and eleven of us" Parvati said.

"Don't make us hurt you" Padma added.

"Indeed" Luna said, "I only just washed these robes, and I would hate to get blood on them – your blood that is" and faced with eleven angry people, the Aurors made a rapid retreat all the way to the DMLE offices!

"Stupid buggers" Harry said, and he looked around at the watching crowd. "And who is our next contestant…?" but nobody replied. Harry simply walked towards the courtroom whistling what sounded like the '_Colonel Bogey March_' – something that made Hermione, Dean and Seamus burst into much laughter. It was clear that Harry wasn't giving a damn about the hearing, and they followed him to the courtroom. Tonks was waiting for him at the entrance, and the others put the hoods up on their cloaks so they didn't get noticed. They slipped into the courtroom and took seats near the middle of each half of the seating. Dumbledore was already sat at a wooden table and shuffling and reading some parchment around, and it took all Hermione's self control to not blast him with a curse. Meanwhile, Tonks was taking Harry to a little side room to wait. She explained that it was standard procedure for cases such as these.

"I'm glad to see you" she said to him as she closed the door behind her. "Dumbledore was really worried about you. He says that Sirius's death has made you act without thinking. I have to agree with him" and Harry turned on a sixpence and faced her.

"I thought that" Harry said, "I know what you are here for, Nymphadora. Tell Dumbledore that this trick of his will not work. I am not going to give him any information. Please let him know that if he tries anything, then I'll apply for membership in the Death Eater ranks… _GO_" and at Harry's shouted last word, Tonks vanished from the room. Harry looked around the very tiny stone walled room and started to think about his opening argument.

When he couldn't think of anything, he just sat on the single chair in the room and began counting the stones that made up the wall. It was a good ten minutes before the door opened again, and a different Auror came in and told Harry it was time to start the trial. Harry's eyebrows went up at that word, and added it to his list of things to be used against Dumbledore. No matter how bad things went, he always had the master ace up his sleeve. Harry followed the Auror back to the doors of the same courtroom where he had been put on trial last year, and a soft _bong_ noise could be heard announcing that the case was starting. The Auror guarded the doors as Harry went through the, and he saw what kind of audience he was playing to. Harry looked to the far end of the room and saw the entire Wizendgamot, though someone else was in Dumbledore's place. Harry was certain that it was Tracy Greengrass's father, so there would be an even chance of winning or losing. Harry did have his emergency back up plan though – see Dumbledore try to stop him with that! As Harry continued to walk up the aisle, he ignored the mutterings of the crowd which got more intense as ten hooded figures dropped the hoods and followed Harry to his own table. As they reached it, Harry stood directly behind the chair wile the others stood in a semi circle to stop anyone from hexing of jinxing Harry. Mr Greengrass looked at the ten that backed Harry up and spoke to them.

"You do not stand accused" he said to them.

"Mr President" Susan said, "We stand with our shipmate" and the other nine nodded.

"Very well" Mr Greengrass said – this was not what he was expecting at all. "We are here to ascertain the mental capacity of Harry James Potter. If found to be of insufficient capacity, then he will be remanded to the custody of the Chief Warlock" and he banged the gavel in front of him. As Harry created chairs for his friends, Mr Greengrass told Dumbledore to begin his case.

"Members of the court, it is a sad thing that we have to be here for this occasion. It is my belief that Harry here has been…"

"Objection!" cried Hermione, "Prosecution is being familiar with the accused"

"Sustained"

"My apologies" Dumbledore said. "It is my belief that Mr Potter has been driven over the edge, so to speak, by the death of his godparent. He has however, shown a total disregard for the lives of his friends and placed them in terrible danger. He also nearly killed the son of a Ministry official more then once. I move that you bind Harry to my custody so that I may try to help him regain his mind" and Dumbledore sat down.

"Do you have anything to say, Mr Potter?" asked Mr Greengrass.

"Nothing polite" was Harry's reply, and several people chuckled as Harry stood. "Albus Dumbledore is trying to have me painted as some kind of insane person. This is because he wants to get his hands on the Potter fortune. I believe I know to which time he means I nearly got my friends killed, but I move that Mr Dumbledore was behind them. In the first year a troll entered Hogwarts and he didn't know anything about it? Second year I grant was not of his making. The third year, and he knew that my late godfather was innocent, and yet he did nothing to help prove his innocence… but I digress. The point I am trying to make here, is that I am as sane as anyone in this room" and then Harry sat down, leaving the rest of what he was going to say unsaid.

"Mr Dumbledore, do you wish to call any witnesses?" asked Mr Greengrass.

"I do" said Dumbledore, rising from his seat once more, "I call Ronald Weasley to the stand" and Harry and the group turned to see Ron get up from where most of the Weasleys sat. As he walked past Hermione, he leered at her with a well known look. Once he was sat down, the questions started to be asked. Dumbledore was a cunning linguist, and he questioned Ron, Ginny as well as several Healers from St Mungos very well indeed. Harry and the others also asked questions, and it seemed like the case was about even. Harry and group knew though that Dumbledore would win as everyone respected the old git. It was early evening before the summing up came around, and this was when Harry would be playing his trick shot card. Dumbledore stood up and looked at the entire Wizendgamot and the watching public as he made his summing up speech.

"You have heard from some of Harry's former friends that he gets them into deadly situations. Now some might see this as being heavy handed, and maybe that is so, but I must act to protect the lives of the public and of Mr Potter himself. He shows a complete disregard for those around him, and would most likely kill those who stood in his way"

Presumably" Harry said, "That is why you killed your sister Ariana" and the courtroom went silent and you could have heard a pin drop. As Dumbledore stood with his jaw completely open at the revelation, Harry stood, picked up the parchment in front of him and put on his cloak. "What's up, sir? Didn't want that from coming out? Oh dear" Harry added sarcastically, "What ever have I said" and his friends tried to keep very straight faces. "As I have said before, it is my understanding that Mr Dumbledore wishes nothing more then to get hold of my fortune. I also think that when I defeat Voldemort, then he would have me locked up in Azkaban for murder" and Harry glanced around the courtroom. "I've been sat here doing nothing but listen to lies, so I think I'm done here" but Mr Greengrass spoke.

"You will not leave this courtroom before the judgement has been made" and Harry glanced at him.

"AM I going to be allowed to walk out of here?" he asked.

"No"

"Then there isn't any need for me to be in here" and Harry and his ten friends began leaving the shocked and silent courtroom. As they got halfway to the door, Dumbledore shouted an order.

"Aurors! Place Harry Potter under arrest!" and Aurors moved towards him – including Susan's Aunt. She knew this was wrong, but she had never disobeyed an instruction and so she also advanced on Harry. Before she knew what had happened, Susan spun round and sent her flying across the room as they all stood round Harry in a circle.

"Just try it" said Lavender. As they shuffled to the door, Molly Weasley stood up.

"I Molly Weasley, do enter my son Ronald Weasley into a marriage contract with Hermione Granger" and the colour drained in Hermione's face as Dumbledore smiled in happiness. One look at one was enough for Harry to tell that he was undressing Hermione with his eyes. "I also enter my daughter, Ginerva Weasley, into a marriage contract with Harry Potter" and anger now filled the last of the Potter family. His wand came up, and he blasted the Weasleys across the room.

"NOW EVERYONE LISTEN TO ME! I WILL NOT STAND FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO ATTACK MYSELF OR MY FRIENDS! HERMIONE HAS ACCEPTED ME AS HER BOYFRIEND AND WE WILL BE TOGETHER UNTIL WE DECIDE OTHERWISE. SHE HAS NOT ENTERED INTO A MARRIAGE CONTRACT, AND THEREFORE WILL NOT BE MARRYING THAT IDIOT! THE SAME GOES FOR ME AS WELL! IF ANYONE TRIES TO STOP US FROM LEAVING, THEN THEY WILL REGRET IT. I'VE KILLED ONCE OR TWICE BEFORE, SO I'M NOT TOO FUSED ABOUT SCORING A HAT-TRICK" and Harry turned his back on everyone and walked out the room. Several Aurors tried to stop Harry from leaving, but they were prevented from doing so by Hermione, Susan and Padma. They walked in silence to the floo point, where they went directly to Gringots and hence right away back to the house in America.

"Are you alright?" asked Hermione quietly.

"Yes" Harry said faintly, "I'm going to my room. Please don't disturb me unless Voldemort has surrendered" and he went upstairs. The others looked at his vanishing figure.

"He just needs time alone" Neville said. "He was like this a lot back at Hogwarts" and the others agreed with that assessment. Dobby and Winky brought them some food and drink before they all drifted away to get rest or whatever they wanted. Hermione was left sitting on the sofa and looking into the fireplace. She hoped that nothing terrible would happen to Harry this year, but trouble always seemed to find Harry. She agreed with him that Dumbledore was manipulating his whole life, but something was bothering her about that as well. She went to her room and pulled out her diary. Harry was one of only a few people whom knew Hermione kept one. She turned the pages until she came to the last few weeks. She scanned the pages twice to be certain, but she was right the first time. Sirius's will had been read, _his parents had not been._

**A/N:**

**Well it may seem a little rushed, but there you go anyway – another exciting chapter update for you.**

**Nothing of real mention except one thing. Ariana's death. I am of the opinion that Dumbledore killed her… and I think he did it knowingly! So imagine his surprise when Harry brings that up!**

**One little Star Trek Referance which I am sure some of you will get!**

**With regards to I'm Not Going, I think a nice chapter or two of complete fluffiness and love - and a few pink rabbits - are in order!**

**Regards,**

**Pixel**


	7. New School

**New School**

Harry slept through most of the day, and didn't wake up until sometime in the evening. After taking a shower to clear his mind, he headed downstairs to see what was left to eat. When he opened the door, the smell of Spaghetti Bolognaise filled his nostrils, and the sight of Hermione's head, left arm and right leg bandaged up. Dobby had his arms crossed and was looking at the half mummified figure as if she would attack him.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"He attacked me!" Hermione said, pointing at one of the two house elves.

"WHAT?" Harry turned to look at Dobby. "Is this true?" he asked him.

"Yes Master Harry" the elf replied.

"Why?"

"I was following your orders" Dobby said. Harry looked to see that the serving dish with some Bolognaise still in it, was sitting on the counter behind him.

"Dobby" Harry said _exasperated_, "When I told you to attack anyone who came near my dinner…" Harry sighed, "…I didn't mean it literally" and he shook his head. "Now apologise to Hermione for attacking her and go to your room until I call you" and Dobby complied with Harry's request.

"The bandages can come off later today… it is just that they need to hold the healing pads on to the bruises" Luna said to Harry.

"Is she going to live, Doctor?" Harry asked.

"I am afraid that she will die" Luna said, and colour drained from Harry's face.

"No…" was all he got out.

"Not for another 130 years or so, but she will die" Luna said, keeping a completely straight face on her features.

"That is not funny" Neville said.

"It isn't?" Luna asked. She sounded as if it was rather a good joke.

"No it isn't" Neville confirmed to her. Luna then said sorry to both Harry and Hermione before leaving the room to go and pack for the next day. Harry ate dinner before the plate was taken away by Winky, and he watched the elf go round the kitchen while working on something. His mind brought the answer which was housekeeping. The house would be empty while at Salem, so the plan was to put the house into mothballs until they came. Winky had misunderstood at first, and he had seen her about to purchase 10,000 tons of mothballs. House Elves could be very useful assets, but sometimes and only times when Hermione wasn't around; you got tempted to throttle them. Luckily, Harry was never serious about that action… not always.

#

The rest of the day was spent by Dumbledore answering questions from reporters. They all wanted to know more details concerning the death of his sister, but Dumbledore replied that he was completely innocent of everything he'd been accused of. The first person to talk after he got back to his Hogwarts office was Molly Weasley – through a Floo connection.

"What happened to the plan, Albus?" she demanded off him.

"I admit that even I did not expect the boy to come out with that. Rest assured, Molly, that this is nothing more then a minor setback" Dumbledore said to her. "Our plan will go ahead" he added.

"And what about Ginny and Ron?" the red haired woman asked.

"Your daughter will have the boy's material implanted into her. That will force Potter to marry her. And then on their wedding night, Mr Potter will have an unfortunate accident. He'll die, and leave Ginny and the Weasley family in control of the Potter Vaults" Dumbledore assured her.

"And what about Ron?" asked Mrs Weasley.

"He will be made the keeper for Gryffindor as well as the team captain. I will also make him the Head Boy" the headmaster said.

"I will start giving Ginny the potions to make her fertile" Mrs Weasley said. "What do we do about the Mudblood slut?" she enquired.

"Ronald will have her to do with as he pleases" Dumbledore said. "If you enter him into a marriage contract with her like you will do with Harry and Ginny, then she will be forced to marry your son" he said. The woman in the fireplace smiled in an evil sort of way.

"What will you do with her parents?" she asked him, "After that brat spent the summer with them, I doubt they will simply allow their slag of a daughter to marry my Ronniekins. Will you alter their minds?" and Dumbledore nodded.

"I will cast compulsion charms to make them sign the contract" he said, "And then… I will eliminate them" the two of them talked for time before going away to deal with their respective business. As he went to see McGonagall in her office, Dumbledore wondered how he would get his deputy to see his point of view. He hoped that he wouldn't have to cast another spell on her, but was prepared to do so if necessary. The meeting did not go down very well, and Dumbledore was forced to cast the compulsion charm on her to make her do as he wanted.

He didn't know if Harry would take the letter at face value, but he did trust McGonagall a lot. Should that fail, then he could always go to Salem with the Aurors and Order members to drag Harry back in force – but only if all the other options failed. As he returned to his office, Dumbledore went over the letter in the _Prophet_ several times in his mind. It didn't occur to him until he actually read it in reality – the one thing that Dumbledore was looking for. Harry had named the different school where he had gone to complete his learning – The Salem Institute. The place would be well shielded against attacks, but the Headmaster was certain he could get around those. All that was required was the exact Portkey co-ordinates for the place, and the attacking forces could appear right in the school. They wouldn't end up in a wall – automatic safeguards would kick in – but arrive they would. Stunning anyone who would attack them, the Aurors and Order members would find Harry, grab hold of him, and returned to the UK with him. After having his entire personality changed, he would be forced into impregnating Ginny Weasley with his seed, and forced into a marriage. Then after the death, Dumbledore would be more powerful then anyone else currently alive by power alone. The money could go to the Weasley family minus a few hundred million Galleons for himself.

"If that little brat thinks he can escape doing what I want him to do, then he is very much mistaken!" he said to Fawkes. "All that needs to be done is for Miss Grangers to sign the contract, and then meet with an unfortunate accident" and he smiled to the empty room, and thought about which first year could be bent to his will, or over his desk. It all depended on his mood at the time.

#

"Dobby" Harry said, and the elf appeared. He looked a little sadder and wiser creature, and he looked at Harry.

"Yes, Harry Potter sir?" he asked, and Harry let the slip go this time.

"I have decided that you have been punished enough. You may go about your work again, but first I want you to see what help Hermione needs in parking for the morning. If I hear good things about you, then I'll see about asking about a job for you at the school" and the elf's eyes brightened and he nodded.

"I will do as the fair and just Harry Potter asks" Dobby said as he bounced up and down.

"I think though before helping Hermione, you should go and thank Winky. She convinced me to let you return to work" Harry added, and the elf popped away. "I'm getting too bloody soft for me own good", and then he returned to packing his trunk.

They would all be starting a new school tomorrow, and it would be full of interesting new people and all sorts of interesting challenges and incidents to cope with. With Hermione by his side, he could face just about anything. With Susan, Hannah, Lavender, Parvati and Padma, Luna, Dean, Seamus and Neville tagging along as well, at least they would have some friends from Hogwarts to talk to. The other thing he was looking forward to was Quidditch. Harry had told his friends that he wouldn't use his fame for anything – except booking a table at a restaurant of course. They all spent a little time together – Hermione now being demummified - before heading up to bed. Dorn had sent an Owl to the group at dinner giving the time that term started. Unlike Hogwarts, which had a welcoming feast at night, Salem had the welcoming feast during the day time. This allowed for the new arrivals to find which rooms their lessons would be held in. Even though they had been told that Salem didn't have a uniform code as such, the former Hogwarts students didn't know what exactly to wear. They had seen what the local teenagers wore, and all agreed that it wasn't really for them. They decided to arrive in normal clothes and then muddle through from there. Dobby and Winky worked hard to put the house into a clean and tidy state, and ensure that it was ready to be used at a moments notice. Bottles of Butterbeer were put in the pantry before having a preserving charm put over them. Harry had sent Dobby out for a bottle of Firewhiskey, and Hermione said that everyone except Luna could drink so why have it? Harry's reply was that it was for medical purposes only.

#

Harry woke the next morning, and he smelt the smell of food wafting up from downstairs. He showered and dressed and headed to the kitchen to find that Dobby and Winky had outdone themselves. The table had been extended to accommodate the large platters of food in front of two beaming elves. Harry could see platters of fried eggs, grilled _and_ fried bacon, fried bread, fried mushrooms, fried tomatoes, hash browns, fried sausages, omelettes, toast, eggy bread and to top it all off, three pint jugs of hot tea.

"Morning Harry" Hermione said. Harry took the chair at the head of the table, and started to be served by the elves. He had said to his friends that they could have any chair, but they had replied that his was his house, so he should have the top chair. Harry pushed that thought to the back of his mind as he started to tear into his breakfast. Every bite made Harry's taste buds think the Hogwarts food was plain. Then again, five years of mainly that to eat made things seem better. Though even Hogwarts food was better then what the Dursley had given him to eat. Not to say that Hogwarts had bad food, it was just that there was always something…missing.

"What time do we have to leave?" asked Harry between mouthfuls.

"We should leave in about an hour and a half" Susan said, she had the letter Dorn had sent to them in front of her.

"I was thinking on how to get there" Harry said.

"Well Floo seems the best way" Padma said. "I guess we can do either one" she added, and Harry pondered over his fourth tea of the day. After everyone had eaten what they could, the two elves cleared the plates away from the table. The group got up and went to pack up last minute things that always seemed to need packing despite it being done previously. Once they had finished, they gathered themselves in the living room.

"All set?" asked Harry, and they all nodded. "Well off we go" and Harry took some powder. "Salem Institute" and he vanished. the others followed in quick succession, and they ended up in a large banqueting hall. More tables then Harry cared to count could be seen around the room, with one large table laid out like the staff table at Hogwarts. It seemed as if they had arrived at the welcoming feast as the room was packed with students and staff.

"Mr Potter and friends I presume?" asked a tall man whom seemed to be the Principal.

"We are" Hermione said, "And please forgive our method of entry... we didn't know the floo would take us here"

"Think nothing of it" the man said, "My name is Joseph Jackson, and I am the Principal here at Salem. You joined us just in time to be sorted..." and he gestured to where a group of younger children waited. Dorn was there and read each name off a list before pointing his wand at them. There was a flash of light before either a red, white, blue or white colour appeared above the head of the person being sorted.

"Wonder where we will be sorted to" said Luna in a whisper to Neville.

"Before we sort these people into or school" said Jackson, "I will introduce them to you. These people are Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, Parvati and Padma Patil, Seamus Finnegan, Hermione Granger, Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood" and there was a small bit of talking, "Oh and this is Harry Potter" the students all gasped in perfect harmony. They all knew who he was, and what he was most famous for it seemed. The entire eleven of them got called up at the same time, and Dorn muttered a spell. There was a flash of light and they got covered in the series of four lights, but no final colour could be seen hanging above any of their heads. Dorn tried several times but he got the same result. Murmuring could be heard from the hall.

"Well this was not in the game plan" Harry muttered.

"I will see you in my office" Jackson said, and he left his seat and left the hall. Dorn led the refugees from Hogwarts out as well. They got taken down a long corridor which was filled with awards from past students, and also with several trophies.

"I must admit" Dorn said, "That this has never happened in the ten years I have been teaching here. Students are sorted on the first attempt, although several have to be tested again due to two very strong personality traits. This can some times confuse the house sorting charm, but as I say, this is very rare. Never have I known the sorting charm to fail like this" he led them into a large and spacious office – not unlike the ones you would see on TV. Seats got made for the group who all sat down. Jackson was looking at sheet of paper.

"According to this, the reason you could not get sorted is because you remain British citizens. What I will do is for you to remain as one group, and assign you to various classes as needed. I will leave it up to you about which house you join for sports and such" Jackson said. "As for living arrangements, this will also cause trouble. What I could do is to put you all in a separate part of the school where you could all live in two separate dorms"

"That would be fine" said Lavender. After much talking about small matters, the group left the office and Jackson took them to where they would be staying. The door was a thick wooden door, and as it opened the former Hogwarts students could see…

**A/N:**

**Am I not a teasing Pixel? Hee hee.**

**So the group have arrived at Salem (at last) though not without a few minor hiccups!**

**Not much to note here, except the fact that Dumbledore is going to go in force to get Harry back and use his material to get Ginny pregnant. This would be to negate any contract issues. Even though the marriage contract between Ron and Hermione is off, don't think that that is going to stop them. Again, WEASLEY TWINS ARE GOOD!**

**The little problem with sorting is one I have not seen addressed in Harry to America fics. What if he couldn't because he is still a UK citizen? Expect this to cause both trouble and hUmoUr in later fics – note: that wasn't a typo! I will warn you now, that in a few chapters time, during the attack at Salem, one of the main cast will die. Needless to say it will not be Harry, but someone else. Only one other user here Knows anything to do with it… but I didn't release the name to him either. A poll is on my page for you to vote on!**

**The name of the Principal is taken from my good friend joemjackson who writes the excellent series "Not The Only Red Head". If you haven't, then please take a look at it. It is a little confusing, but well worth it. All I ask is that you say in the review that you say I sent you his way.**

**This is the first chapter to have been partly written by Rhapsody – my new notebook. After buying her for £110, she went straight into service with ten minutes of arriving at home. She joins Destiny and Harmony in making this fic possible. (any captain Scarlet fans out there will get the joke!) Also, posted two fics, but no one has reviewed them. Would you please mind review, The week the Mysterons nearly won and Santa Claus the movie (updated as a request by joemjackson)**

**Before I forget, would like you all to take a look at my profile page as it has been updated and refurbished. It also has a message to you all**

**Reviews in the normal manner**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	8. An Eventful First Day

**An Eventful First Day**

#

As the door opened, they all gasped at the sight of the large room in front of them. It looked to be a large room, at least as big as the Gryffindor one Neville remarked. There where two sofas and a five armchairs dotted around the room. On the wall opposite was a series of windows that gave a magnificent view of the castle and grounds. There where a couple of tables dotted around, with one having some wooden chairs round it to sit on. There was a decent sized fireplace beneath a wooden mantelpiece.

"This where you will be staying while you are with us" Jackson said. "The four boys will dorm in the room to the left. The girls will dorm in the room to the right. You can decorate the sitting room to however you like it" and then he watched as they all went round the room.

"Who will we learn lessons with?" asked Hermione.

"I will let you know in the morning" Jackson replied, "Because of the lessons you will be taking, there will be different pupils in the classes. Due to your special circumstances, any house points earned will go to your own counter"

"Luna was in the year below us at Hogwarts. Will she have to do lessons with those in the year below us?" asked Neville.

"No" came the reply, "She may stay with you for lessons. Now I must go and attend to the rest of my work. I'll see you tomorrow" and with that, Jackson left the room.

"Shall we put our stuff into our rooms and take a look round?" Susan suggested.

"Might as well" said Hannah, and so they levitated their trunks up to their new dorms. The beds in both dorms looked very much like the four poster beds that they had slept in at Hogwarts. Once they had picked out beds for themselves, they left the special quarters and went for a walk around the school.

They greeted teachers and pupils alike and the group found out where each lesson was being held. The first thing on the list was to find out where the toilets where in each of the four flours. Afterwards, they went out to look at the grounds. The grounds had incredibly well kept lawns which stretched all the way to a lake that was bigger then what there was at Hogwarts, and Hermione said it was nearly the size of an ocean. When they found the Quidditch pitch, Harry's jaw dropped. Instead of the rickety old wooden one he was used to there was a modern stadium. They entered through one of the doors to stand in one of the seating areas. The benches at Hogwarts had been made out of wood but these appeared to be made out of some kind of leather. When Parvati sat in one to try it out, it moulded itself to her shape.

"This is nothing like before" Harry said, and the others agreed with that. After they had been round the outside of the castle, they asked for directions to Professor Dorn's office. They got odd looks from the two girls they asked, and it was Luna who said that it must be because of their English accents. They headed off to the office, where Dorn had them sit down in the chairs in front of his desk. The four boys allowed the girls to take the seats while they stood.

"I take it that you have had a good look around?" he asked them with a smile.

"Yes" said Lavender, "And we quite like it here to be honest" she added.

"So, what can I do to help you?" asked Dorn.

"I wondered what I could do about Quidditch?" Harry said.

"Ah" Dorn said, "I was hoping that you wouldn't ask about that. As you are not in any of the houses, I am afraid that you will not be able to play Quidditch. I understand that Harry is one of the best players in recent years" and Dean whispered something into Harry's ear.

"Can we have a moment?" asked Harry, and Dorn nodded and the group put their heads together and spoke in low tones. "So what do you want?" asked Harry.

"Professor Jackson said that we are our own house. Could we not form our own team?" asked Seamus.

"With one person?" Harry replied.

"Well we three know how to play" said Neville, pointing to himself, Dean and Seamus. "Though we aren't as good as you though" he added.

"We need more then four players" Harry pointed out. There was a miniature discussion between both the Patils before Padma spoke.

"We'll join as well" she said, "Though we have only played it as a little friendly game in the back garden" the girl added.

"I'm in as well" said Luna after a moment. Harry knew his friends where rallying around him, and they all turned back towards Dorn.

"What were you discussing – if I may ask" he said to them.

"We'd like to form our own Quidditch team" Harry said. Dorn looked surprised for a moment.

"I see you are taking this 'your own house' thing to the maximum" the man laughed. "If you think you can do it, then try it by all means" and after a few questions the group left Dorn's office to return to their quarters to change into something else. It had got a lot warmer as the day had progressed, and so they changed into lighter clothes. When they had all gathered in the common room, Harry spoke to the newly formed team members.

"First of all I want to thank you for helping me to fly this year. I would have been reduced to just flying around the grounds" Harry paused. "Now you've played in friendly games, but this isn't like that at all. I will have to work out with Hermione to see what training we can work out for you. I'll buy you al a broom each, but we'll get you equipped with ones that are suited to you. Like a wand, the broom must be found to match you" and the others thanked Harry and offered to pay for their own brooms, but Harry was having none of it. He told them that he had more money then he could possibly spend in his life.

"So what is our first thing to do?" asked Lavender, she would also be training in case of an accident to someone which prevented them from participating in the game. Harry and Hermione conferred for a while before Hermione answered.

"You will each receive a copy of _Quidditch Through The Ages_ to read. It has all of the rules that you will need to know about. Then there is he body armour. Dumbledore never allowed it because he didn't want the school to seem too rough" and there were nods all round. They went for another walk around where everyone stopped, looked and pointed at Harry's ever present scar.

#

The order met in Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts. Everyone was present from Tonks to the Weasley family. The twins, who had joined last year, had resigned a few days ago. Dumbledore could still see their joint letter without looking at it.

Dear Albus Dumbledore

We hereby quit your stupid fried chicken club.

If you take any action against Harry, Hermione or his true friends, then we will be forced to reveal some secrets about you.

Signed

A.N Other and N.O Body

It didn't take a genius to figure it was Fred and George Weasley who had sent them.

"I've called you here because I have come up with an idea as to how to get Harry back" Dumbledore said.

"How?" asked Mrs Weasley.

"I have sent a trunk to Harry" Dumbledore said. "Inside is a long distance Owl. It is carrying a piece of charmed parchment. As soon as it is opened by Harry, the parchment will be filled with Portkey co-ordinates and the Owl will fly back here to me. Once I have those numbers, I can create a series of Portkeys to take us to Salem to remove Harry. He will return with us and have his memory wiped. Then he will do whatever we tell him to, and we split the Potter fortune between ourselves" and they all looked very happy at that.

"And Ginny?" asked Mr Weasley.

"You and Molly will become grandparents, but Harry will not live to see his son. He will be forced to have sex with Ginerva so that she can get pregnant. All she has to do is to seduce Harry enough to ensure he has sex with her" Dumbledore replied. He then proceeded to explain what each order member would do when they had arrived at Salem.

"What if anyone resists?" asked Moody.

"As we will be wearing Death Eater outfits, then you can stun them or hex them as badly as you want. I want no killings though. This must be a lightning raid" the headmaster warned, "But if you want to maim anyone… by all means" and he smiled.

"What about the mudblood?" asked Molly. "She isn't going to accept us taking Harry from Salem" and Moody snorted.

"We'll simply stun her and take her with us. We'll fix her mind and give her to Ron as a plaything" he said, and Molly began to plot. Although the original plan was for him to die on the wedding night, they had discovered that Harry would have to live to see his child born. This was so he could name the child as his heir before his unfortunate accident.

"How is he to die?" asked Mrs Weasley.

"That took some thinking about" Dumbledore said, "But I believe that I have the right idea. A short while after the birth of the child, Harry will go for a ride on his broom with lots of people watching. I will charm the broom so that it will respond to my commands. When he is at a high altitude, the broom will tip forwards and commence a full power dive. It will smash into the ground and kill him" the headmaster finished. He saw the looks on the faces of those people who believed in his cause. During the time it took for Ginny to carry Harry's child, Voldemort would be forced out of hiding and defeated. After the death of Harry, Dumbledore would say he found evidence that Harry was also a Dark Lord – how else could he kill Voldemort after all?

"The boy is the only person I know that can withstand compulsion charms. I'd even guess that he would brush off an _Imperio_ if we cast it on him" Moody said.

"He told me about what your impostor did, Alistair" Lupin said, "While I am not entirely certain, I would assume that he could throw off all three of the Unforgivables".

"We can always brew a potion and give it to him while he is stunned" Snape said. He had remained quiet so far this meeting as he wanted to consider every option. While he was fully committed to Dumbledore, there was the matter of the life debt he owed to his James Potter. When he was unable to save his life, the debt transferred to Harry. The potions master decided to send Harry a letter which explained what Dumbledore was planning to do. Then he would tell Dumbledore that Voldemort had learned that Harry knew of the plans – and Harry knew because of the link the two had. Snape hoped that this would end the debt. If Harry was captured, then he would alter the potion so that Harry knew exactly what was happening. While he hated his father, Lily on the other hand…

#

The group rose, showered, dressed and collected their books for their first lesson at Salem. The one rule that couldn't be bent for them was the one concerning breakfast. So for breakfast they would eat with the members of Lovell house. Harry had automatically dressed in his Gryffindor robes before he remembered there was no dress code at Salem. He opted for a pair of black trousers with a dark green shirt instead. After breakfast, they headed towards the potions room. Unlike the damp and cold dungeon of Snape's, potions at Salem got held in a purpose made laboratory. This seemed to please Neville somewhat greatly. As they had arrived a little early, they examined the classroom after putting their bags at the front of the rows of desks. They sat down when the rest of the class came in, and they said hello. They got more odd looks when the other pupils heard the English accents. In return, they didn't look surprised when they heard all of the various American accents. The Professor came into the room shortly afterwards. The professor was a tall white man with curly blonde hair.

"You must be the new arrivals" said the man. "My name is David Marcus, and I will be teaching potions for your next two years. I have had a look over your educational records from Hogwarts, and see that you are at least up to date with your work. Saying that though, I notice that Mr Longbottom is the worst out of you. Can you tell me why?" Professor Marcus asked.

"I was bullied by members of another house" Neville said, "And our potions master at Hogwarts was the head of house for the bullies. He wouldn't do a single thing to punish them. He also made sure that I got the bad potions ingredients" he added.

"Well I am sure your grades will improve here" Marcus said. He took the register of the class, and then most of the class rose and stood with one hand over their hearts. They started to recite something. Harry and the others remained seated but looked at each other oddly.

"Any ideas?" asked Susan.

"They do this every morning in American schools" Hermione said knowingly, "I don't think that we have to do it though" she added.

"Well we'll stand respectfully from tomorrow" Harry said.

"I agree" said Parvati, "We might as well show respect for their customs" and the former Hogwarts students nodded in agreement. Once the lesson was underway, they got asked to make a Pepper Up potion. This was easy for Harry and his friends, so much so that Professor Marcus asked them to start making an Anti Poison potion. This took the rest of the lesson to complete, and many of the other pupils in the class also managed to make the potion. It was very different to have a proper potions lab at their disposal, and Neville's potion was exactly the right colour as it should be. At the end of the lesson, Professor Marcus asked them to pour a sample into containers and bring them ot the front for marking.

"I will give you results next lesson" he said, "Class dismissed" and they filed out of the classroom. They had the same group for Defence Against The Dark Arts, and it was Professor Dorn who took the lesson – something the group knew already. Tables lined the walls with chairs on top of them ,and Harry assumed that they were being stored for the moment.

"Welcome everyone" Dorn said, "And I see that you have already met your new year mates. Now you all know who Mr Potter and his friends are, and you know about Mr Potter in particular. So I propose that Mr Potter and a volunteer duel to see how well he can battle" and Harry suddenly looked a little apprehensive.

"Sir" he said to Dorn, "The only time I have battled, it was a no holds bared fight. I have never ever duelled before" but Dorn laughed and shook his head.

"Don't worry, you wont be killing anyone" he said, "Anything apart from dark curses and Unforgivables are allowed. You have battled a dark lord on two separate occasions. I would like to see what you in action, if that is alright with you" and Harry reluctantly nodded. Dorn asked for volunteers, and picked one person out – a tall black skinned student whose name was Patrick Obama.

"Be careful, Harry" Hermione whispered as Harry withdrew his wand in order to fight.

"You know me, Herms" Harry replied.

"That's what I mean" she replied.

"I'll be fine" Harry assured her, "I'm the only one who can defeat Voldemort after all" and he turned to face Patrick. On the signal to start, Harry's oponant sent a stunning spell at Harry who simply stepped to the side whilst casting _Impedimeta_ at him. This missed the other boy by mere miloimeteres. The class watched as the pair battled with fasinated looks – but he former Hogwarts contingent looked slightly bored as they had seen this all before.

"_Slleps_" said Patrick, and a viciously green coloured burst from his wand. Harry let it get towards him before dropping to the floor and letting it pass over him. Without speaking, Harry waved his wand and out came four Smurfs. Patrick and the class simply stared at the dancing Smurfs, and didn't know notice Harry sneaking around the edge of the classroom to come up behind Patrick. With two quick movements, he relieved the boy of his wand and pushed him to the floor. Then before anyone could do anything, Harry raised his wand.

"_Imperio_" and everyone gawped at Harry using an Unforgivable. The spell hit Patrick and lifted him into the air. Harry hadn't used an unforgivable, he had instead used the levitation charm on him. Harry and Hermione had practiced it over the summer, and Harry was more then able to say one spell while actually casting a different one. With the boy's own wand, Harry stunned him and then gently put him on to the floor.

"Harry Potter wins" said Dorn, and there was some applause – more so from Harry's friends. Hermione came over and gave him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. After Dorn had revived Patrick, he turned to the class. "What was wrong with Patrick's defence?" he asked them, and Hermione put her hand right up. "Miss Granger?"

"He allowed himself to be destracted" she said, "And that let Harry get around and disarm him" and Dorn nodded.

"Ten points to your house" he said, knowing they hadn't come up with a name yet. "Now that is over with, I think we will start this year by reviewing the fight that had just taken place, and suggesting ways to overcome Harry – if at all possible. You can start in his lesson, and then continue for homework" and at the end of the lesson, Dorn dismissed them for lunch.

"That was incredible" Hermione said while they had lunch in the hall.

"Well I didn't want to be in a bad state for our training session this evening" Harry replied.

"Tonight?" exclaimed his girlfriend, "We start Quidditch training this evening?" she asked him.

"None of you are of the same standard as I am. If we are to form a team, then we better start training as soon as possible" Harry said, and Hermione agreed that it made sense. What she didn't tell Harry was that she was still scared of flying on a broomstick. But if Harry could face Voldemort three times, then she could go through the sky at a couple of hundred feet. From the way their lessons worked out, they had the afternoon off – on the first day as well! While Hermione and Padma made notes, Harry went up to his new dorm and retrieved his Firebolt. He had to see what the flying conditions were like around the area inside the Institute's boundries. As he left for the grounds, he told Hermione what he was going to do.

"Are you sure?" she asked him.

"I need to find out what the wind is like around here. If I think it is too bad to fly, then we'll simply watch a Pensive memory of some of my matches" Harry said. "The other thing is that I have been over month without actually flying. I'll only be doing a few simple manoeuvres and a quick power burst" he added.

"Well be safe" Hermione said, and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. The others giggled or wolf whistled before Harry headed out to the grounds. A handful of others seemed to be doing what Harry was doing, and two turned out to be of muggle origin. Harry introduced himself to all of them before showing off his Firebolt. The fastest the others had was the Nimbus 2002, and Harry had a little pang as he thought about his faithful Nimbus 2000. the Whomping Willow had destroyed it during his third year, and he had kept the pieces. He still had them in one of his trunks, but knew there was very little he could do about that. As he had got on, the word spread about that Harry was about to take off a on flying display.

"And off we go…" Harry uttered, and he rose into the air. The first thing he did was to do several circuits of the building and then of the Quidditch to see how the winds were. Everything went better then he had expected, so he did a little showing off for those watching below – including Hermione and the others who had come to watch. Although he was enjoying himself, he made sure that he was nowhere near any other person in the air. He didn't want to bump into anyone after all! When he was done, he descended and got off to receive a hug from Hermione. This was a new Hermione that had come out over the time he had spent at the Granger residence, and Harry was amused by the change a little bit. While he was talking to people, there was a muffled boom and he snapped round to see that someone had strayed slightly too close to the protective wards around the Institute. The tail of the broom was emitting bright, multicoloured sparks and the rider – a girl – was screaming as she battled to keep the broom in the air. Every so often it was tipping forwards and dropped a good fifty feet before the girl managed to get it under control. She stopped screaming and managed to keep it level and in a lazy turn to the left.

"She can't land" Seamus said, "Not with that damage" and the crowd watched as the broom started to gather more and more speed. It went well past the limit that a Nimbus 2002 could do, and the smoke started to get heavier and blacker. Harry knew that there wasn't a lot of time left.

"We better get a teacher" Hermione said, but Harry shook his head.

"No time" he said, and he swung his broom underneath him. "Get away" the boy ordered, and the closest people to him did so quickly. While the Numbuses of those people on the ground could go fast, the Firebolt could beat them in terms of speed by a long shot.

"Are you doing what I think you are doing?" asked a voice, and they all turned to see Dorn and Jackson with them. A woman in a long white lab coat stood behind them, and Harry assumed it was the school nurse or someone.

"Sir" Harry said to Professor Jackson, "Nobodys Nimbus can reach that person, but my Firebolt could reach her. I'll go up there, match it's speed and get her to climb onto my Firebolt. When she is on, I'll drop back a little and blow it apart" the plan sounded a little bit on the wild side, but it was the best he could come up with. Harry knew it was _the_ plan, but it would do for now.

"Go" Jackson said, and Harry stood his broom on the tail and rocketed into the air. He quickly reach the same height as the stricken broomstick, and he urged every once of speed out of the Firebolt. He raced after the now crippled Nimbus, and soon pulled up alongside him.

"Taxi, Ma'am?" he asked the bewildered girl.

"Wha…What?" she asked, her long blonde hair flapping in its ponytail from the slipstream whipping about both of them.

"Get on the Firebolt!" Harry said firmly, his voice brooked no argument. The girl did so quickly, and then to her amazment, Harry climbed onboard hers. "Can I have this broom?" he asked.

"Yes" she said weakly. Harry thanked her, and then tapped the top of his Firebolt. It suddenly dropped behind and slowed down. Once it had reached safer speeds ,it began the trip down to the ground where the nurse, both professors and everyone else was waiting. Harry meanwhile had managed to convince the broom that he was its new owner. Now all he had to do was to remember what he had once read.

"Broom! This is Harry Potter, your owner speaking"

_Yes?_ It replied.

"Initiate Auto Destruct Sequence" Harry ordered calmly.

_Authorisation_? It asked.

"Potter Four Seven Alpha Tango" Harry said carefully, he managed to get the broom heading towards the gigantic lake.

_Second Authorisation code_ the broom requested.

"Code 1 1B 2B 3"

_Destruct Sequence completed and engaged. Awaiting final code for one minute countdown_

"Code Zero Zero Zero Destruct Zero"

_One minute to Self Destruct Sequence. This broom will self destruct in 50 seconds_. Harry felt the heat as the broom burst into flames at the back, he cast a water spell, but knew it would only delay it. With a little luck, the broom would blow up before the fires reached him.

#

"What is he doing?" asked Hermione. Panic spread over her face as the girl told her story.

"He'll be keeping the broom over the lake so that when it blows, it will not take out any of the school" Dean said.

"Him and his saving thing" Hermione muttered. She, nor any of the others, did not know that Harry had activated the broom's self destruct feature.

#

Harry kept the broom flying over the lake. The fire and the amount of damage made the turns hard to complete, and so he made two last turns so that it went from the bottom to the top of the lake. Harry looked down at the transparent display that was on the handle of the broom. He had only tens seconds left, and so he made the severely crippled and nearly out of control broom go as fast as it possibly could.

5

4

3

2

1

The counter actually went down to 0, but at 2 Harry was already off the thing. As he was falling through the air, Harry felt the explosion hit him full force and it buffeted him with all the fury of a magical object exploding. As Harry was falling to the ground, he reached into his jeans for his wand. While he didn't know something to keep him flying, he pointed his wand above him and cast a shield charm. The semi circle acted as a parachute, and Harry made a graceful landing in the lake. He could see Hermione speeding towards him on his Firebolt.

"Grab hold" she told him, and he held onto the main part of the broom as Hermione slowly took them to shore. The Professors and the nurse waited to see him and were amazed to see not a single scratch on his body.

"I have never seen anything like that" Jackson said.

"Nor have I" Dorn said.

"A hundred points" Jackson said, "And a special action award" he added.

"Thank you" Harry said, "Thank you very much" and the nurse fussed over him.

"Are you sure you are alright?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"I'm fine" Harry replied, I might be a little soaked, but I'm more then fine. It is thanks to Hermione that I didn't drown or anything when she rescued me on the broom" he added.

"I flew on a broomstick?" Hermione said weakly, and she fainted to the ground.

"Theres your patient" Harry said, pointing to the crumpled form of his girlfriend.

#

After Harry had changed into dry and clean clothes, he sat in the arm chair by the fire. Though summer still remained a little, the water in the lake had been cold, and so Harry was trying to get warm again. Hermione had been revived and told to take it easy, and so she was snuggled up next to Harry. There was a little popping noise, and a trunk appeared in the middle of the room.

"Anyone?" Lavender asked.

"It isn't mine" said Luna.

"Who is it from?" asked Harry. Dean went over and read the label that was attached to one of the handles.

"It is from Hermione's parents to you, Harry" he said. Harry looked at Hermione who shrugged. The pair of them got up and went over to where the trunk was sat.

"Why would they send it to you?" asked Hermione. "It doesn't look to be one of the trunks we brought in Diagon Alley" she added.

"I bet they contacted McGonagall about something, and she got a trunk for the contents" Harry reasoned. He bent down to open it, and all at once there was a fluttering of white as an Owl sprang forth and attempted to leave. Hedwig happened to be in the area, and she intercepted it and killed it with a stab of her talons. She knew the sign of a Hogwarts Owl when she saw it. Harry saw the paper the dead owl had dropped, and frowned at it. All it contained was a series of numbers, and that didn't make sense to him.

"We have to see Professor Jackson at once" said Hermione quickly. She knew what the numbers meant as she had read a book on the subject.

"What is it?" Hannah and Susan asked at the same time.

"These are Portkey coordinates" Hermione replied, and she rushed from the room with the rest in hot pursuit. While Hedwig took the body away to feed to some wild dogs nearby, a second Owl flew out of the trunk which contained identical numbers. Albus Dumbledore had accounted for something like this to have happened.

**A/N:**

**The long awaited update.**

**First of all, I must apologise for the delay. I had to stop writing while I was fitted for some new glasses as I now need them. I must be the first person in the world to go longsighted from writing fanfiction!**

**Anyway…**

**There are three Star Trek references in here for you to spot. One will be fairly easy to spot. The others are harder. One of the other two hints is hidden in the easy reference. See if you can identify them all! I know that The Submarauder will get at least two of them!**

**If anyone can spot the referance to Harry Potter True Friends, then say so as well!**

**Dumbledore now has the chance to drag Harry back, but will it work. And what about Snape hmm?**

**As this has been updated, you will see that my profile page has changed to show the newest information on forthcoming updates. I have also added what fanfics I am currently reading.**

**Reviews and Pm's in the normal manner**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	9. Hermione’s Birthday Holiday

**Hermione's Birthday Holiday**

Days passed and the group settled in to the way Salem was run, and it was soon nearly Hermione's birthday. Harry had been writing and getting letters which Hedwig refused to let Hermione read. One letter she _was_ allowed to look at was from the Ministry of Magic. In an extremely crafty deal – worthy of the Weasley Twins – the own rooms at the Institute was now considered sovereign UK soil. The day before Hermione's birthday, they invited all their new friends round because Harry was going to take Hermione out for the next two days. Hermione got some books on Native American magical beliefs as well as other gifts. The biggest one was a chess set made by the others which had her and Harry as the King and Queen on the white side. Hermione saw Harry looking over at her with a smile on his face, and she asked him what he was up to.

"Just pack some essentials and a couple of changes of clothes" Harry told her cryptically, and then he held her in his arms and kissed her lovingly. Lots of cat calls and wolf whistles came when everyone saw the two of them. After the party was over, most of the former Hogwarts students went to bed, but Harry remained downstairs as he wanted to get a few things done before heading off himself. He was sure that Hermione would be surprised when she saw where Harry had taken her for a two day trip. He turned on the little lamp on the bedside cabinet and ensured that all of the needed paperwork was ready.

#

Harry was up bright and early the next morning, and he showered, dressed and went downstairs. The small travelling trunks both he and Hermione owned sat by the sofa, and Harry sat down and passed the time by reading a book. As predicted, Hermione came down a good half hour later.

"Where are we going?" asked his girlfriend.

"Away" was all that Harry said.

"Do you think that I have enough camera film?" Hermione asked him, and the bushy haired girl looked slightly panicked.

"I should hope so" said Harry, and got up and held out the Portkey they would be using. It had been determined that Harry was powerful enough to simply get through the wards as if they did not exist. "Ready?" he asked.

"I guess so" Hermione said, and took hold of the trunk.

"Activate" said Harry, and the two of them vanished from the room. They appeared in the middle of what looked to be a railway station somewhere in Britain. Hermione looked around and saw that no one had seemingly noticed them.

"Are we in the right place?" she asked.

"I know we are" Harry said, and so Hermione looked around some more. The station's name was Crovans Gate on the NWR, but Hermione had no idea where that was. It was a big station with what looked to be a train depot. Cottages lined the road behind the station, and people gathered on the platform. As they waited for something to happen, a man in a blue uniform came up to them.

"Excuse me, but are you Mr Harry Potter?" he asked Harry.

"I am" he replied.

"Welcome to the North Western Railway. I was asked to keep an eye out for you, and we've got you and your good friend two first class tickets as requested" the man said. Hermione noticed that he was called F. Able, and that he was the Station master here.

"Thank you" Harry said. "I assume that the train is on time" and the man nodded.

"It is only a few minutes away" Able said, and he led the two down the platform to where there was a very plush appearing waiting room. As he predicted, they didn't have to wait that long and they heard a steam engine's whistle. Harry laughed at Hermione's confused face as they went outside. The steam engine was pulling a long train which was comprised of green and cream coaches. Porters put the trunks in the guard's compartment while Harry stared at Hermione's open mouth. She was gazing at the steam engine.

"It has a face" she said.

"I know"

"It has a face" Hermione repeated.

"_It _has a name, Madam" said the engine, and Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin.

"I… I… I'm sorry" she stammered. "My name is Hermione" Harry's girlfriend said.

"And I am Harry" said the raven haired boy. The engine smiled at Hermione's reaction, and then seemed to perk up quite a lot after introductions.

"Hello, Harry. Hello, Hermione. My name is Thomas" said the engine. "Are you going to Knapford?" Thomas asked.

"Yes" said Harry, "We have an appointment with your owner" and the engine smiled.

"You new to the island?" asked Thomas.

"We both are" Hermione said, seemingly recovering from her shock.

"Well welcome to Sodor then" said Thomas. "I'm setting off in a minute. You better get on board" and after saying goodbye to Thomas, the two of them boarded the train and sat down at first class. The train left smoothly, and after a few moments, a man wearing a white shirt and a red waist coat asked what they would like for breakfast. Hermione and Harry both went for the Tidmouth kippers – twice – and had some tea. As they heard Thomas working to pull the train, Harry remarked he was still a little hungry. The waiter came back ten minutes later with a full English breakfast for him. He and Hermione watched the scenery going by as they sped through the countryside, and Harry asked Hermione if she was enjoying herself.

"I am so far" she replied.

#

"Thank you for such a pleasant ride" Harry said.

"You're welcome, sir" Thomas said, and then he went away to the sheds for a nice drink and to be fuelled up with coal. The two watched him disappear to shed before turning and walking up the platform to where the ticket office was. Porters had taken their trunks to the office to be kept safe. As they entered, the room was like a walk into the past. Almost everything was wooden, and they could smell the polish distinctively. Large framed posters showed off many destinations on or around the island. While Hermione looked at the posters, Harry went up to the man behind the glass panel.

"Hello" he said to the uniformed man, "I and my friend have an appointment to see Sir Topham Hatt" and the man looked up at him with interest.

"Your names?"

"Mr Harry Potter and Miss Hermione Granger" Harry told him.

"Wait here" and he went through a door.

"I always wanted to come here" said Hermione, and she gave Harry a hug and a kiss.

"I know" said Harry, and they broke apart as the man came back downstairs.

"Sir Topham Hatt will see you now" he told them, and he led them through the office and up the long steps. He knocked on a door before opening it and letting them past. In front of them was a slightly tubby man wearing a suit, and he rose to his feet and put out his hand.

"You must be Harry Potter" he said, and Harry and Hermione shook his hand. "I have heard all about you. I am Sir Topham Hatt, but I guess you would already know that" and the man laughed.

"I'm glad that we were able to get here" said Harry. "This is my friend, Hermione Granger" and he pointed to Hermione. "I knew she liked the stories as a child, so I thought of bringing her here for a little birthday holiday, sir" Harry said, and Sir Topham Hatt nodded.

"Drop the sir will you? Call me The Fat Controller – everyone does. I know my engines and staff think I don't know it, but I have my ways of knowing" said the Fat Controller. They talked for some time about the plans for their holiday on the island. Harry explained that they had places at the Railway Hotel nearby and that was so they could be near to the railway. Hermione was excited to know that they would be travelling on the engine's footplates after getting special passes from the Fat Controller to tell the crews it was allowed. When the clock struck 9, he took them down to one of the platforms in the station. They had only just got onto it when a little green steam engine puffed up to them. He had been pulling a few coaches, but he was also pulling some heavy goods vans.

"You looked tired" said Harry.

"I am, sir" said the engine.

"You may go back to the sheds Percy, and have a nice long rest if you'd like" said the Fat Controller kindly.

"Yes sir. Thank you sir" Percy said.

"These are visitors to the island" continued The Fat Controller, "Could you take them in your cab please to the sheds?" and Percy agreed. After saying goodbye to the Fat Controller, Harry and Hermione climbed into Percy's cab and felt the heat from the fire hit them. They got the road to the sheds where Percy was put on a turntable and then backed into a space in the shed. Harry and Hermione climbed down from the cab and thanked Percy. Percy though had fallen asleep almost as soon as his wheels had stopped turning. Percy's fireman dropped the fire while his driver took the two to see the other engines. They met a great big green engine called Henry and another big blue one called Gordon. They talked for some time until they heard a whistle, and a bright red engine backed into a space next to Henry.

"Who are you?" asked the engine.

"I'm Harry and this is Hermione" Harry said, "Its Hermione's birthday today, so I thought I'd bring her here for two days", and Hermione nodded.

"I always wanted to come here" she said, "I've read all about you" and the engines looked very happy indeed. "We hope to ride on your trains as much as possible" Hermione added.

"Well I am about to take the express to Barrow" said Gordon. "You are welcome to ride with me as far as the station" and the two agreed.

"This is the best present ever" Hermione said.

"Well as it is your birthday" said the driver, "Would you like to pull the whistle?" he asked, and Hermione nodded her head like the little dogs you got in cars that sat on the parcel shelf in the boot. With a blast of the whistle, Gordon moved off for the station where they got off. They would ride the express to Barrow and back tomorrow, so they watched as Gordon coupled up and then puffed off on his trip.

"Where do you want to go now?" asked Harry to Hermione. His girlfriend looked at the timetables she had been given. Not only did she have the passenger ones, she also had the freight timetables which listed all the freight trains that passed through the stations and where they would end up going to.

"It says here that there is a freight to the docks" Hermione said after a moment. "We can catch it to there and then see what there is there" and so they waited.

The freight was booked to stop for a few minutes to allow the boat train to arrive. When it pulled up to one of the platforms, Harry and Hermione showed their special passes to the crew who let them come into the cab. It only took a few minutes but they thanked the green engine, whose name was Duck, and headed to the foreman's office to tell him who they where and what they would be doing. When he heard, he wished Hermione a happy birthday, and then took them for a tour of the docks. It took several hours, but they had a great time riding up and down the sidings and in and out of the single passenger platform for those people getting on and off the boats, They got a cab ride back to the station. This one wasn't stopping, but the driver slowed them down well enough so they could alight safely. It was afternoon, so Harry treated Hermione to high tea in the station buffet before they sat on a bench and watched all the trains passing by. Hermione snuggled up next to Harry and kept thanking him for the day she was having. They watched all the trains rushing past and people getting on the stopping services.

"I'm lucky to have you as a boyfriend" she whispered.

"It is an honour to call you my girlfriend" Harry replied, and he kissed her tenderly on the lips. When they broke apart, Hermione snuggled as much as possible to the intoxicating scent of her boyfriend and watched a few other go by. A little while later, they stood up and went to have dinner.

#

The man walked nervously down the corridor and knocked on the door. Even after doing this for numerous times, he was still a little apprehensive.

"ENTER" said a cold and cruel sounding voice. The man opened the door, walked up to the throne. "Report" said the voice again.

"My lord" began the kneeling figure "I bring news of the lumbering old fool, Dumbledore. He intends to visit this Salem Institute with members of the Order of the Phoenix. It is his intention to go there in force and bring the Potter brat to this country. Once that is done, he will use his issue to gain control over the Potter fortune" finished the man.

"Lord Voldemort is pleased" said the hooded and robed figure. "Tell me how many people he plans to take" he added.

"They have not yet decided, my lord" said Severus Snape. "All that I know is it will be a lightning raid. The old fool even told me of his plan, as he assumes I am loyal to him. But it is to _you_ that I am most loyal, my lord" Snape said. Voldemort nodded slowly the once and then waved his hand for Snape to continue.

"Go on" he said.

"Dumbledore sent Potter a trunk containing two Owls. He said there was only one, but he later confided in me about a second. These Owls had charmed parchment attached to them so that wherever they got opened, Portkey co-ordinates would appear and the Owls would fly back to Hogwarts" Snape paused for a moment before pressing. "Dumbledore disguised the trunks as coming from the Granger mudblood's parents so that Potter would open it. It seems, my lord, that one owl was either captured or killed by someone or something as only the 2nd owl arrived at the castle" Snape finished.

"When does Dumbledore expect to attack this Salem Institute?" Voldemort asked.

"In two or three days. He must wait for enough Aurors to be free to join with him – those loyal to him of course" Snape said.

"This is welcome news ,but I sense that Potter is not at this other school" Voldemort said. "I do not know where he is, but I can sense Potter's thoughts as if he is asleep. His thoughts are… confusing – even to me" Voldemort admitted. Snape was the only one he would say that to. Certainly not the fool Lucius Malfoy!

"How so, my lord?" Snape asked.

"Potter is dreaming" Voldemort said, "He is thinking of talking muggle steam engines. I would dismiss this as an attempt to block my entry into his mind, only these are real memories. I have looked in the library, but I can not find anything that would explain this. All I do know is that he and the Granger mudblood are together in this place" Voldemort was quiet for a while. Snape stayed in place until he spoke some more. "Severus. You have mudbloods and half bloods at Hogwarts. Ask discreet questions about this place. Listen in to convocations between them. The name 'Thomas' seems to be significant" and Snape nodded quickly.

"It shall be done, my lord" he said. Voldemort dismissed him, and Snape left the chamber as quickly as he possibly could. He had no idea of a place with talking trains. But would resolve to look in the library and to listen in whenever a student said 'Thomas'. It might take some time to do, but he would find Harry. But he would also warn him of the two attempts on him.

#

The Fat Controller had arranged for them to have cab rides that evening to Brendam Bay and back, and then a run to Ffarquar and back. Unlike Thomas's normal train, this one didn't stop, and was normally nearly empty. The dinner at the hotel was great, and Harry and Hermione had a walk around town before returning to the hotel to change into different clothes. When they got to their rooms, the pair discovered brand new overalls sat on the beds, and they changed into them before headed back down to the station. Thomas was waiting for them on the platform as the sun hung low over the town.

"Hello" he said to the pair. "Driver says you are coming for a ride in my cab" and Hermione nodded.

"We're going all the way to your branch line and then back again" she told the engine. "I'm looking forward to it" and Thomas smiled. Thomas's crew took Harry and Hermione round the engine and showed them what they did to make Thomas ready to run. The few passengers got into Annie and Clarabelle – Thomas's two coaches – and the four of them got into Thomas's cab.

"Would you like to do the honours?" asked the driver. "I'd sound the whistle myself, but I'm busy and the fireman is putting more coal in" and he pointed to Thomas's whistle.

"Thank you" Hermione said, and she reached up for the whistle. The girl missed the wink shared between Harry and the driver. Two quick blasts, and the driver pulled the lever and the train moved forward. They had a great time running all the way to the other end of the branch, and it was almost night. Harry and Hermione helped the fireman to light up the lamps on Thomas's front and back. They watched as Thomas ran round the train ready for the return trip. The stars shone brightly and the station lamps glowed strong as they waited for the signal. When it came, Thomas set off on the non stop trip back to where they had started from. They sped through the countryside at night, and Harry and Hermione took turns to fire and to drive. By the time they reached Knapford station, they both had coal dust all over themselves, and they climbed out the cab and bid Thomas goodbye. They had a few cab rides back and forth from the station down to the harbour, before they noticed the time was just past midnight. A goods train – whose name was Douglas - came into the station and waited for the road ahead.

"Fancy a trip on this?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Why not?" she agreed, and they showed their passes to the driver and fireman who let them get into the cab. A short whistle later, and they set off into the inky black night with the warmth of the fire hitting them.

"You alright?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Sure" she replied,"Just that I've been up for hours, so I'm a little tired at the moment. But this is great" Hermione added.

"Well when we get back, you can have a good long sleep" said Harry, and the two of them watched the driver and fireman doing their work. The sounds of Douglas working hard to pull the goods filled their ears, and the pair of them looked out as they passed signal box after signal box – the bright lights shining out the darkness.

"I don't suppose you two would like a turn at firing?" the fireman asked them.

"Really?" asked a delighted Hermione, and the bushy haired girl was soon shovelling coal into the firebox as if she had been doing it for a while. When Hermione's arms ached, she passed the shovel over to her boyfriend. Harry put shovel load after shovel load in exactly where it was needed, and then the two of them took turns having a turn at driving the engine. They passed over a viaduct and the crew took over as they entered a yard where only the diesels worked. This was the railway that most people knew – the British Rail network. Douglas stopped and then backed his mixed freight into a siding before the four of them and the guard set off for the return working. They saw it on the outbound sidings, so they puffed slowly over to couple up to it. As they did so though, they heard a faint whooshing noise.

"I thought we was the only steam engine here" Harry said to the driver.

"Aye, and we should be" he replied. They listened and they heard the noise again.

"Who's there?" called Douglas. A faint voice answered them.

"Are you a Fat Controller's engine?" asked the voice.

"Aye" said Douglas, "And proud of it".

"Oh thank goodness. I'm Oliver and this is my brakevan, Toad. We tried to get to your railway, but I ran out of steam and now I can't move" said the voice. As Douglas's crew, Harry and Hermione looked into the darkness, they spotted an old steam engine with a brakevan attached.

"What where you doing?" asked Douglas.

"Escaping" said Oliver.

"From what? Scrap?" asked Douglas quickly.

"Yes" said Oliver.

"Then it's pleased me to help ye" Douglas said, and his driver backed Douglas a little bit so that the fireman could change the points manually. Two men could be seen who had to be Oliver's driver and fireman. The two crews met up and discussed a plan. With the help of Harry and Hermione, they wrote out transit labels and attached them to Oliver's cab sides. Then with a tin of white paint from the brakevan on Douglas's freight, they dabbed the word "SCRAP" every couple of feet on Oliver and Toad. A few moments later, and Oliver and Toad got marshalled into the train. "No time ta run arund" said Douglas, "I'hal have ta ruen tender first" and they set off as fast as they could. They had only just moved when a passing diesel saw them.

"Yoo Hoo! A steam engine is escaping. Yoo Hoo! A steam engine is escaping" and a door opened on the foreman's cabin. When they saw a red light they stopped – just before they cleared the station throat. Douglas's crew climbed out of the cab and went to speak to the foreman.

"What's this then?" he said in a gravely voice. "A Great Western engine _and_ a brakevan. You can't take these" the man added firmly.

"Let's put more coal in" said Harry to Hermione, and the girl nodded. They quietly started to put coal into the firebox. This was easier because they had taken the shovel from Oliver before they had moved off.

"Of corrse we can" said the fireman, "They're all for us. See for yeself" he added. Douglas's crew showed the foreman the transit papers. He looked at them in the light of his lamp, before shining it over Oliver and Toad.

"Well?" pressed the driver.

"Everything seems to be in order" the foreman grudgingly said, "But this is still peculiar" he muttered.

"I could tell ye more funny things" said the guard, but the foreman was in a bad mood.

"I'm sure you could" said the man, and he waved them off to the cab and the brakevan respectively.

"We added more coal so we could get away quickly in case he decided to call anyone about it" Hermione said.

"Good thinking" the driver said.

"Right! Away Guard!" the shout of the foreman was carried over the noise of Douglas's fire. A whistle blew and they set off again. They took the few miles of the mainline before they crossed over the viaduct and into the North Western Railway's territory. As they did so, the four of them in the cab started to whistle the theme from _The Great Escape_ by unspoken agreement. Once they got over the viaduct and onto the island itself, Douglas let off a whistle of his own.

"We've made it" he called out to Oliver and Toad. "Theys canna tooch ya here" and they kept going along the tracks and went on into the night before they arrived at Knapford. They disposed of the freight in the reception sidings, then they took Oliver and Toad to a siding. They tried to be quiet, but the night foreman there heard them, and so he was taken into the plan as well.

"I know just the place" he said, and he climbed into the cab. "What are you two doing here?" asked the man when he saw Harry and Hermione. Both had helped to fire and had coal and grease all over their faces. Hermione was looking forward to the promise of a nice hot shower when they got back to the hotel.

"Special visitors" the fireman explained, "They have permission" and the foreman nodded.

"Well let's get this engine and the van into the siding" he smiled, and he showed them they way, jumping off every so often to operate the points. They tucked the pair safely away before heading off back to shed.

"Thank you" called Oliver, "And goodbye" as they vanished into what was left of the night. They only stopped to let the foreman off at the cabin with a promise to keep quiet until they had told someone higher up about their actions. Douglas wasn't going through the station, but he slowed enough to let Harry and Hermione climb down safely.

"Thank you for your help" said Douglas's driver, fireman and guard.

"Peep Peep. And me too" said Douglas. He was tired and wanted to sleep for a long time indeed. Harry and Hermione made their way along the track – a distance of only a hundred feet – and walked up the ramp and onto the platform. Not knowing what else to do, they went into the ticket office where the lonely figure of the relief station master sat next to the fire. The air seemed a little colder, but still welcome after the inferno of the cab.

"I wondered when you two might turn up" he said, as the uniformed man looked at them. He explained that he had been waiting in the ticket office for them as he had nothing else to do. During the night, he had no duties to carry out, but he was there in case an overnight train was derailed, and then he would call people and organise the breakdown train with whatever engine was available. During the night, one engine was kept in steam in case of such an incident.

"We just want to see the inside of our showers and beds" Harry said tiredly. The night station master nodded, and led them to a door which connected to the back of the Station Hotel. The pair bid him a goodnight before heading up the stairs to their rooms. Hermione stripped off the moment the door was locked and pranced into the shower and let the hot water sooth her aches and pains before putting on warm pyjamas and getting into bed. Harry, on the other hand, was so tired that he stared to shower before he realised that he was still wearing his overalls. It was through sheer will that he was able to get the soaking clothes off and complete his shower. He too put on pyjamas and climbed into bed. His last thought was that he was glad Hermione had enjoyed her birthday.

**A/N:**

**First: my fic and therefore my rules.**

**Sorry to say that **_**again**_**, but people figure that they can decide what I write. Not anymore.**

**So, Harry took Hermione to the island of Sodor for her birthday. With the odd plotline this is taking, I am sure that some of you can guess what is going to happen here! It may or may not happen, though I am leaning to that direction. Some of you **_**mus**__t___**be thinking about it… I know that Submarauder has to guess it, and most likely joemjackson as well.**

**For my fellow Thomas fans, or those that simply remember the episode, Harry and Hermione get involved with the episode "Escape" – the one where Douglas rescues Oliver and Toad from being scrapped. The speech for Douglas, his driver, fireman and guard is not mis-spelt, it is my attempt at a Scottish accent.**

**Special Mention: scout-01 – for going into a crash course of watching the episode mentioned so she could understand it. She also hijacked her sons Thomas videos so she could remember everything. Extra special mention really because she went to youtube to watch the episode in the end, and watched the CORRECT UK VERSION.**

**Many thanks to all those who review**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	10. The Second Day – Part 1

**The Second Day – Part 1**

Dawn broke over the island, and Harry slowly opened his eyes to see the cause of his abrupt departure from sleep. Hermione was waiting for him by his bed.

"Wake up, Harry" she said, "We've got so much to do" and Harry reached for his glasses.

"You do know that it is almost half five?" he questioned her, and Hermione nodded.

"We have the rest of the island to explore" said the bushy haired girl. She was as eager as any other time Harry had seen her excited.

"I'm up, I'm up" and Harry pushed the covers off him. After Hermione had gone back to her room, he went for a shower before dressing in some jeans and a shirt before heading down for breakfast – his still wet overalls lay in the corner of the bathroom. The hotel was lucky in that it served many people going to work on an early train, so there was a small breakfast open at that time in the morning. After eating as much as they could, the pair went back upstairs where Harry closed and locked his door. Taking out his wand, he performed a drying charm on the overalls, but he preferred to leave the marks in. He met Hermione outside his door, and they headed down to the station where a station porter took them to the sheds.

"Peep Pip Pip Peep" whistled the engines when they saw the two, "Good morning" and the pair responded in kind.

"Where are you going today?" asked Thomas.

"Oh we don't know" said Harry, "Just do as much as we can on our other day here" he added.

"I hope you haven't forgotten that you promised to ride on the express" said Gordon.

"Oh we haven't" said Hermione.

"Good" said the big blue engine, "Douglas told us about what you did in the early hours of today, and we all wanted to thank you for helping to save Oliver and his brakevan" Gordon added.

"Well we could hardly let an engine like that go to scrap, could we?" Hermione said, and the other engines agreed. The only two that didn't say anything were James and Douglas. Douglas was tired from the escape attempt, while James was the standby engine overnight.

"Indeed" said Henry. "Ever since the diesels took over on the other railway, things have not been the same for steam engines" he added.

"No they haven't" said Thomas in agreement.

"We are the last line of hope for a proper railway" said Percy, and Gordon looked at him. Harry and Hermione knew the two of them often had arguments over things Percy said. "But when Flying Scotsman came here, the Fat Controller told him to let everyone know that we still used steam engines everyday. Know we are the last refuge for all that is good about railways. These new diesels have no…" Percy railed off as if trying to think of how to end the sentence.

"Soul?" offered Gordon.

"Soul? That's the right word, Gordon. These new diesels have no soul" Percy said.

"We may disagree on many things" said the other engine, "But you are completely right on this one, Percy. Out of all those built at the same time as me, only Flying Scotsman exists. They rebuilt all the others into A3's – even did it to Flying Scotsman himself. Though he considers himself to be an A1 at heart. Most of our brothers and sisters on the other railway have been scrapped. Those that survive do so as unmoving exhibits in museums, or else on little preservation lines. That is no way for a steam engine to live out its remaining years. You know what?" Gordon asked everyone.

"What?" replied Thomas.

"I'd like to have that Dr Beaching in front of me" Gordon said, "I know I wouldn't stop in time" and the engine puffed away slowly.

"He never has been the same since he found out that all his Doncaster brothers and sisters got scrapped" Edward said. "Oh it isn't very often, but sometimes he gets a little upset" and Harry and Hermione nodded.

"Well we don't like to use diesels, but there isn't any option where we live" Harry said.

"No steam engines at all?" said Thomas in surprise.

"Well only those at little preservation lines" amended Harry.

"Well why don't you live in Sodor?" asked Percy innocently.

"Well why not?" Hermione questioned him.

"After we have finished studying… perhaps" Harry said, and Percy beamed a bright red – almost the same red as James.

"Well we can't stand here and talk all day" said a voice, and they turned to see the Fat Controller standing behind them. "Now you all know what work you have to do today?" he asked the engines, and they said yes. "Well off you go then please" and the engines puffed onto the turntable one by one.

"Good Morning" said Harry and Hermione to the Fat Controller.

"Hello, you two" he replied, "So, what do you want to do first?" the man asked.

"Well we thought of a few passenger runs. We promised Gordon we'd go on the Express though before we left" Hermione said.

"Well I hope you have a good time" he said, "I have to go to an early meeting. Rather then use my car, I decided to catch a cab ride in Thomas as far as possible" and that explained why he was wearing overalls like the footplate crew and Harry and Hermione.

"Could we join you?" asked Harry, "At least as far as the station. We could ride on the steps if we held on tightly to the handrails" and after a thought, the owner of the railway agreed. The little party got on Thomas and set off for the station where Thomas always pulled an early train before going to Annie and Clarabelle for the rest of the day. Percy always made sure that there was a lot of steam heat in the heaters in the two carriages before passengers boarded. The day station master nearly had a heart attack when he saw Harry and Hermione hanging on to Thomas's sides, but said nothing when he saw his boss was in the cab. After watching Thomas depart with his early train, the pair of them waited for Henry to back down on his train. They would ride in the cab as far as Wellsworth – returning on a local stopper. They both loved going through the countryside, and the smell of warm oil and coal filled their nostrils with a smell unique to steam railways. Harry wondered if he could bottle the smell to take back to Salem with them. Hermione was remembering as much as she could from Henry's crew – Charlie Sand and Sidney Lever. The pair of them had been crewing trains for many years, and sometimes Henry refused to work if both were ill or otherwise absent.

"Care for a go?" offered the fireman, and Hermione jumped at the chance.

"Is she always this eager about stuff?" asked the driver with a chuckle.

"Only about school work" Harry told him, laughing at the sight of Hermione going like a blur.

"I think that Hermione is doing a good job" called Henry.

"Looks like you've been made redundant" said Henry's driver to the fireman, and the fireman took it in good stead. They made a few stops where passengers got on and off, and continued all the way to Wellsworth. Henry pulled up slowly to the platform before stopping at the top of the slope down to track level. Harry and Hermione got out Henry's cab and thanked the crew and Henry for a pleasant ride, and they saw him off on the rest of run.

"So where next?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Well we could go to the other side" her boyfriend replied, "And catch a train back to Tidmouth, or we can wait ten minutes and get one to Knapford. I suppose we could always get one to Brendam Docks again and see what is going on there" and the two of them discussed their plans as they waited at the edge of the other platform. They decided to catch the boat train to the docks, so they waited for it to arrive. To their surprise, the engine was not a steam engine, but a diesel locomotive in bright green paint.

"Hello" the engine said, "Are you two our visitors?" he asked.

"We are" said Harry. "My name is Harry, and this is my best friend Hermione" and Hermione gave a little wave.

"I am a Metropolitan-Vickers, diesel-electric, Type 2" said the diesel, "But you may call me BoCo – everyone does. You seem a little surprised to see me here" BoCo said.

"We are" said Hermione, "Gordon said that diesels are not exactly in his good books".

"Ah yes" said BoCo, "Well Gordon makes an exception in a few cases. My case is that I was sold for disobeying an order given to me by my old owner" and Harry looked surprised.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I refused to tow steam engines to scrap yards" BoCo said. "When I told Gordon that, he changed his opinion of me somewhat" and BoCo chuckled.

"Are you going to the docks?" asked Hermione.

"Yes" replied BoCo.

"Well we are heading the same way" she said. "Is it possible that we can ride in your cab?" and BoCo's driver agreed at once. After making a stop due to a faulty signal, they reached the docks and Harry and Hermione went to visit the foreman. He was delighted to see them again, and they had some tea before leaving to stand outside and watch BoCo go past with the boat train. After that, they met with two yellow or gold coloured steam engines called Bill and Ben. The foreman warned them that they would often play tricks on unsuspecting people or engines. According to him, they still talked about when they had talked of putting Gordon into the sea.

"They remind me of the Weasley twins" Harry said to Hermione.

"God alone knows what would happen if they ever met up" she said, and there was a doubt if the island could stand up to the combined forces of trickery. They took a small green steam engine – the engine's name was Duck – back to the main station, and then they went to the buffet for a bacon sandwich each. They ate them sitting on the platform. After they had finished, they went up to the waiting Gordon who was going to pull the express. He said hello to them, and they got in the train in the brake coach. They sat with the guard who chatted to them about his time on the railway, and Harry and Hermione laughed at several of them. Some included times when Thomas was in trouble – mainly the time he was nearly arrested! Once they arrived at Barrow, they helped to stable Gordon on a siding before heading over to the mess for some tea. When they got there however, the five of them found that the kettle was broken. The other railway's mess's kettle _was_ working, so they hatched a plan. While the guard created a distraction by blowing steam and making Gordon whistle at odd intervals, Harry, Hermione and Gordon's crew launched a daring commando raid on the mess. They gathered up some tea bags, milk and sugar before doing a runner for Gordon. As they had no hot water, they siphoned some off Gordon's boiler and added the tea bags and milk to suit. The tea was a little bit sweet, and had a taste of oil and coal, but Harry and Hermione thought it was still very good indeed. The return trip was made an hour or so later, and the pair rode in the coaches until they came to a stop at a signal. It turned out that the signal was broken, so the driver received permission to Proceed on Caution to the next signal. The pair of them went up the track to Gordon, and climbed into the can to help the fireman out.

#

Snape was able to find out quicker then expected, and he managed to slip out of Hogwarts without Dumbledore knowing. Once he was past the boundaries, he apperated to where Voldemort was. He made his way to his master, and reported that he had news.

"What news do you bring?"

"I have discovered what the words you took from Potter's mind mean, My Lord"

"Very good, Severus. Tell me what you know?" Voldemort commanded.

"The talking trains are located on the island of Sodor. It is located off the west coast of England, and it is unique for having steam and diesel engines that can talk. Thomas is apparently one of these engines."

"And Potter is still there?" Voldemort mused. "Who do we have here at the moment?" he asked Snape.

"I do not know, master" the man replied, "I only concerned myself with getting the information to you quickly. I did pass Bellatrix, Lucius and Pettigrew though. I believe they would be more though – I am uncertain" and Voldemort considered something in his mind.

"Summon all those in this house to appear in my presence in two hours. Send word to others who are our best fighters as well. If Potter is still on this island, then we might be able to strike him down and remove the last obstacle in my way".

"It will be easier then normal, my lord"

"Oh? How so?"

"This island has no magical persons living on it"

Even better" Voldemort said, "Now go and do as I have ordered" Snape bowed and then left the room. He told the others he saw, and then left the house. He went right back to Hogwarts, and headed for where Dumbledore resided. Once he was informed of Voldemort's plan, Dumbledore sent word of who the other Death Eaters were to be found. Amelia Bones was suspicious of where the information had come from, but when she sent Aurors to the homes of those named, she found them all there – taken by surprise. After making himself out of breath, Snape returned to riddle manor, and told Voldemort about the capture of those he was sent to get. He had only just been able to get away without being spotted by the Aurors.

"I am sorry I failed you, Snape said, but Voldemort waved him off.

"It is of no matter. I have enough fighters to do the job. This day will go down in history as they day that potter stopped being a treat to me. We will leave in three hours. That will allow for anyone who escaped arrest to arrive here. You have done well, Severus. You shall return to Hogwarts and stay there until I call for you, or you have news or information I should have"

**A/N:**

**Dum Dum Dum Dum Dummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!**

**So, Harry and Hermione are enjoying themselves, while Voldemort prepares to attack them. The time has come to let you all know something that only Miz636 and scout-01 have known. Voldemort will attack the island of Sodor. There are too many opportunities to pass up here, esp. with one unlikely fighter! The death of the character has been put back to a later chapter, but I will eveal who you all voted for.**

**Dean – 24% (8 votes)**

**Seamus – 21% (7 votes)**

**Lavender – 12% (4 votes)**

**Parvati – 12% (4 votes)**

**Hermione – 9% (3 votes) ((Though she was only added as a ringer to see who'd vote for her even though she survives everything))**

**Hannah – 6% (2 votes)**

**Luna – 6% (2 votes)**

**Neville - 6% (2 votes)**

**Padma – 3% (1 vote)**

**Susan – 0% (no vote)**

**Out of that, you seem to have wanted Dean to die. Well you all got it wrong. The character to die is (&$£* (sorry – computer malfunction). I strongly suspect joemjackson of rigging the vote somehow.**

**Thomas references are, for those who not know, as follows: "Thomas In Trouble", "****The Diseasel****" and "Tender Engines" (the original book title being the story Tenders for Henry from "Enterprising Engines"). Percy's and Gordon's comments are taken from actual speaches about a certain Mr Beaching (may he burn in hell for all time) otherwise known as the man who scrapped steam. (Not all that important to the plot line, but I like to provide historical information). Now I will not reveal what happens, but Harry is forced to kill people, and those who like the model version of Thomas to the CGI version of Thomas may get exactly who I mean, when I mention that Canadians are amights the Death Eaters.**

**Well that is all folks. The next update will be for the fic that has my name in it, and also I'm Not Going. Oooooooooohhhhh… there was one other thing, if you look at my fanfic status page, there is a message about True Friends 2**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	11. The Second Day – Part 2

**The Second Day – Part 2**

Harry looked out the window from his room, and he was surprised to feel a little sad at leaving. He had grown a liking for the island of Sodor over the last couple of days, and he was certain about possibly coming back at Christmas for a while. He and Hermione had visited the Fat Controller earlier that day and discovered that Oliver was on his way to the Works to be mended and put back into working order. A knocking noise disturbed Harry from his thoughts, and he turned to see Hermione enter his hotel room.

"We have a few hours before we are supposed to leave" she said to him.

"Not enough time to do much" Harry said in reply, but Hermione held up a small paper bag.

"But we do have enough time for some train rides" his girlfriend said, and she showed him the film for the camera. She had brought it with her, as per Harry's instructions before leaving Salem. Harry had been using his to photograph all of the trains he could bring into the view of his own camera.

"Come on" and he grabbed his wand and jacket, and followed Hermione out the room and onto the platforms. James was just pulling in with an express train, and so the pair greeted him before they boarded Henry's train to Great Waterton. Harry was pleased that he had made the right choice in bringing Hermione here for a little birthday holiday. As the time for their departure drew closer, the pair went to say goodbye to the Fat Controller. To their surprise, he took them down to the yard where Gordon, Thomas, James, and Duck were all on shed.

"It's time for Harry and Hermione to go" said the Fat Controller, "But I thought you might want to say goodbye to them before they do so" he added, and the engines present all bid them farewell.

"There is one thing I'd like to know" Hermione.

"Oh?" asked Gordon, "And what might that be?" he enquired.

"I noticed that all the engines whistle as they enter or leave the station – just at the cemetery. But it is always at the exact same spot as well. Why is that?" Hermione asked. Even on holiday, Hermione still wanted a bit of information.

"Well the man who wrote the books about us died a few years ago. He was very well respected on the island by all the people" said the Fat Controller.

"And engines" added James quickly.

"Oh err… yes. The engines as well" the Fat Controller went red for a moment. "When the Reverend Awdry died, that being his name, his family thought it was only fitting that he was buried here. And now, every time the engines go past that spot, they always whistle in respect. He retired as a priest many years before he died, but he continued his life's work on the railways of Sodor. He even wrote a book about Sodor, its people and its railways" finished the Fat Controller. Harry and Hermione understood at once that there was no finer place. They boarded Thomas's cab one more time, and he took them to the station before he had to take a train of trucks to the quarry.

#

_**Hogwarts**_

"We have enough people to get Harry by force" Dumbledore said to the group in his office. The group was made up of Tonks, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Remus Lupin, Dedalus Diggle and a few Aurors.

"How do we know where he will be?" Lupin asked, "It isn't as if we have a building plan of the place" he added.

"I will trace Harry's magical core. It will stand out strongly against any other present in the school" Dumbledore said. He took out a portkey which everyone took a hold of, and the group was transported to what looked like a living room.

#

_**Salem – **_**Private Dorm**

"Oh shit" Dean said, and anything else was cut off by the stunner which took him out.

"Let's move!" Dumbledore said, but the wards had detected a breach, and had sounded the alarms accordingly.

_**Salem**_** – Principal's Office**

Jackson was doing some work in his office when it happened. He looked up to see a breach in the wards where the former Hogwarts students lived, and he headed towards that point as fast as he could run. He heard the sounds of fighting before he reached the battle. Younger students fled past him as the older ones held a rear guard action. Jackson didn't know who the people were except that they wore garments similar to that of Death Eater members.

"Halt and stay where you are. Put down your wands" Jackson ordered. The group ignored him and continued to fire stunners and curses all over the place. Thinking quickly, the Principal cast as strong a shield charm as he could, and then told the older students to get away as fast as possible. In the back of his mind, the man knew they had to be after Harry. As he was about to turn away, Jackson saw a glimpse of a long white beard underneath one of the masks.

#

_**Riddle Manor**_

"As much as I am against the muggles, we are only to attack and harm Harry Potter, and his mudblood friend" Voldemort ordered. "You may use curses and stunners, but nothing else on the muggles. You may cause as much confusion and chaos as you want however" he added. The group assembled before him accepted his orders without question, and with the blink of an eye, the whole lot of them vanished.

To The Island Of Sodor

#

_**Island of Sodor**_

_**Knapford**_

Harry and Hermione waited for the train to take them to Coven's Gate. As a final farewell gift, the fat Controller made them both honorary members of the railway, and told them that they were "Really Useful People". As they watched James pull in with a train load of dry goods vans, there was an all too familiar popping noise. Harry's head snapped round to see Voldemort stand at the far end of the platform with many of his followers.

"Hello, Harry" said the Dark Lord.

"Oh fuck" was all that Hermione said, and she drew her wand as quickly as possible. They other side started sending out spell after spell after spell, and Harry and Hermione deflected them away from hitting the innocent people. Chaos and confusion reigned as people scrambled for the exits, some even jumped down into the four foot in an attempt to get away from Voldemort.

"EVERYONE GET AWAY!" Harry yelled, and then took out a Death Eater with a well placed shot to the head. It wasn't a pretty sight.

"It is no use trying to fight me" Voldemort sneered, "Why don't you surrender? I'll make your death be a little less… painful" he cackled.

"Sod off" came the reply, and Harry attempted to stun him, but the spell was intercepted by a Death Eater who took the shot for Voldemort. Windows, plant pots and information boards all turned into debris, and the metal fasteners and mounting brackets turned into deadly missiles. Hermione was forced to back up so much, that she caught the back of her head on a hanging basket. One rather nasty person tried to kill her, but he only succeeded in hitting thin air as Harry pushed Hermione to the ground. The noise from the battle was deafening, and added to that fact was the sound of the engines whistling in panic. They had never seen anything like that before, and they wondered what was going on all of a sudden.

"Stop that noise" Voldemort commanded a trio of followers. They spun at once, and automatically sent killing curses at both Edward and Gordon. Both engines saw it coming, and thought this was their end. However the spell work just ricocheted off the boiler, and resulted in only giving them a massive dint.

"OI! GET OFF MY FUCKING ENGINES YOU BASTARDS!" yelled the Fat Controller. Voldemort turned to see a well dressed man come charging up the platform like an Olympic marathon runner. Showing that looks could be deceiving, he charged up to the nearest Death Eater, and floored him with a good right hooked punch to the jaw. He didn't stop there, and he tore into the surprised Death Eaters. A few seconds later, and the Fat Controller was helped by Harry and Hermione producing two wide angled spells which stunned or badly injured many of Voldemort's followers. The three of them – one muggle and two magical persons – tore through the ranks with a renewed strength. Showing that even a fat person has uses, the Fat Controller managed to get one weak punch on Voldemort. The Dark Lord staggered back more from surprise then anything else, he tried to get away, but found Harry had made an Anti-Apparition shield around the station.

"Retreat!" he ordered his followers reluctantly, and with a wave of his wand, sent the Fat Controller spinning away from him. His followers – those who could move – ran down the end of the platform and onto the tracks.

"Their getting away" said Hermione.

"Its best if we let them go" said Harry, but the unsteady Fat Controller disagreed.

"Not bloody likely" he muttered, and he dashed into the cab of the nearest engine – Gordon – and released the brakes. The man put the regulator and reverser to full forward settings, and Gordon rocketed down the platform.

"Poop Poop!" Gordon said, "Attack an innocent steam engine will you?" and he ploughed into three of the attackers. Two of the Death Eaters were killed instantly, whilst the third was flung just far enough for Voldemort to include him in the number of those escaping. Silence held for a while, but then was shattered by the sirens of the Police, Fire and Ambulance services as they rushed to the station.

"What a way to end that little holiday" said Harry to Hermione.

"Too much confusion and delay" said the Fat Controller. As he turned away, he suddenly stopped and looked at one of the dead Death Eaters.

"Something wrong?" asked Hermione.

"Apart from the fact my railway was attacked by wizards and witches? I know this man" the Fat Controller said, and Harry and Hermione looked at the badly broken figure of what had once been a person. "A number of years ago, some Canadians came to see me. They wanted to change the way the railway was run, and offered me a large sum of money to do so. I refused of course, but it is odd that I should see this person here again" and he walked off shaking his head.

"Are you alright Gordon?" asked Harry, and he patted the engines side lovingly.

"I feel a little battered" the engine replied. He really sounded as if he was in a lot of pain.

"You did good, Gordon" Harry assured him. "You did really good" and then he and Hermione went up the tracks and onto the platform near the waiting room and offices. The police had arrived and had been taking the statements down of those witnesses, and neither of them wanted to speak – they wanted to go home. They spoke to the Fat Controller, and he arranged for Thomas to take them ECS to Coven's Gate. After bidding them all goodbye, Harry and Hermione shifted their trunks inside the brakevan from James's train which was detached for the trip, and sat in one of the empty coaches that Thomas was arranging for another engine.

"And I thought Hogwarts was bad" Hermione muttered. After getting out at the station, they headed off to the same spot they had arrived at, and then used the portkey to return to Salem. What they found was a state of complete chaos.

**Salem**

"What the hell has happened here?" asked Harry as he took a look around the room.

"Thank god you're back safe" said Dean, rushing up to them with his wand in his hand. "Dumbledore attacked the school with some others" he told them both. In a flash, Harry was ready for battle, but Dean pushed his wand down. "They've gone. We think they had to be after you, but vanished after they found you and Hermione not present" and it was then that Jackson came into their own house area.

"First of all, I am glad to see you are safe and sound. Secondly – your old Headteacher was here with some of his followers. We suspect that he was here to try and take you back to England for some reason" and Hermione was worried.

"Did anybody get hurt?" she asked.

"A few got cursed badly, and one had an arm removed. He is having treatment even as we speak. Apart from that, we only suffered minor structural damage which has been fixed already" and Jackson looked at Harry. "They meant business" and Harry nodded.

"Dumbledore will take some time to see what went wrong for him, and work out a new plan. We on the other hand, had an interesting finale to Hermione's birthday holiday" Harry told him, and he explained briefly what had happened.

"Whatever they might try, I have changed the wards. They can't use the portkey again. I have also ordered a lockdown of all the gates, and placed stronger Anti-Flying charms around the gates and boundaries of the grounds. It will be hard to do anything at all from the outside until we lower them to a standard setting" Dorn said, and Jackson thanked him.

"Where are our friends?" asked Harry quickly.

"In the Hospital Wing" said Dean slowly.

"Why?"

"You know that person who had an arm removed?" Dean said, and Harry and Hermione both nodded. "It was Neville, and so the others are there…" he stopped speaking as the two returned holiday makers had broken into a dead run out of the common room.

"MAKE A HOLE" shouted Hermione.

"GANGWAY! MOVE!" yelled Harry, and the two of them raced to the Hospital Wing.

**A/N:**

**Oh the evilness of Pixel!!!!!**

**So, maybe a little shorter then normal, but I've had things crop up that's stopped me from doing more. Time for a round up – Harry and Hermione spend a few more hours on the island of Sodor, Dumbledork and the fried chicken club attack Salem while Voldemort and his lot attack Sodor. Quite a bust day in the world of magic I'd say.**

**So references for this chapter: One is the person in the graveyard – the Author of Thomas. I know he was buried somewhere else, but in this fic Sodor exists, and so I changed the location. I hope he doesn't mind too much. If you can spot any others, then let me know!**

**Next updates will be delayed for a long long time, and there is a return of a fic not updated for over 3 years.**

**Shameless Plugs:- joemjackson's **Not The Only Red Head. **I recommend it to everyone, even if some parts are more confusing then a Labour party manifesto! Also recommend The Submaruder stories **The Potter Family **and **The Story of Harry Potter Black. **Both are also very good stories.**

**Special mention to xBloodSplatter who read and reviewed **I'm Not Going, Leaving Home, Leaving Hogwarts, Never Assume The Worst, The Great Road Trip, Goodbye, Old Friend, A Year With Harry** all in a 72 hour period. I salute you sir!**

**Please note the changed homepage, as it now reflects the altered release schedule.**

**So, if anyone has any problems or just wishes to say something, then by all means please say it to me.**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	12. After The Attack

**After The Attack**

Harry and Hermione dashed through the corridors, and made the other students go up against the walls to avoid being run over by the pair. They skidded round the corner and into Salem's Hospital Wing. It was clearly evident as to where Neville was lying as he was the only person occupying a bed.

"Thank god you're here" Seamus said as he turned to see the running couple enter the wing.

"How's Neville?" Hermione asked.

"Not too good" Luna said in a quiet voice. "He lost a lot of blood, and some of the potions are not working correctly" and she looked as if she had been crying quite a bit.

"Dumbledore has a lot to answer for" Harry muttered darkly. "So what happened?" he asked the others – not including Hermione of course. She had been with him at the time of the attack.

"Dean was in the sitting room when it happened" said Lavender. "From what we have been able to gather, Dumbledore was here to force you back to Hogwarts" and Harry was fuming.

"What the hell does he want?" he shouted.

"I heard that he was going to make you marry Ginny" said Parvati.

"WHAT?" Hermione's shout was as loud as a sonic boom – to Harry at least.

"I heard the same sort of thing" said Padma. "Both the Weasleys were there as well" and there was a silence as Harry considered something.

"Who else?" he asked. "Who else was with the dickhead?" and the others looked at each other before Susan answered him.

"Professor Lupin" she said quietly.

"The bastard" Harry spat angrily.

"There was a few others, but I could only tell those few I have met" Susan said.

"Was…" Hermione stopped before starting again, "Was McGonagall involved?" she asked them.

"No" said Hannah, "That much is for certain" and Harry and Hermione both felt relieved.

"Well at least that is good" Harry said, "How long is Neville going to be out for?" he asked, looking down at the seemingly sleeping boy on the bed. He at least had his arm back on, but was a deathly grey colour in terms of skin colour.

"At least another four or five hours" said Luna said. "The nurse said she was keeping him under sleep because of the damage to his arm. The nerves need to heal themselves again" the blonde haired girl said.

"I promise you all that this will not go unpunished" Harry said.

"But what can we do?" asked Lavender. "Everyone believes him over anyone else. No one is going to trust any evidence that we present" and Susan gave a weak smile.

"I spent a lot of time with my Aunt over the summer to get some extra money to spend" she said. "I picked up a few tips on how they investigate crimes. Even though the Americans will investigate this … perhaps we should go after this ourselves" said the former Hufflepuff.

"I'll help as well" said Padma, "I mean we all know about Dumbledore better then anyone at Salem. We should try to figure out what his aim is, and try to think when he might attack Harry next. Him and his group left as soon as they discovered you wasn't here, Harry" and the person concerned agreed.

"Let's be careful here" Hermione said. "Do you realise that we are going up against Albus Dumbledore?"

"Does he realise that he is going up against Harry Potter?" Harry remarked to her in reply. "He isn't our first concern though. While we were away, Voldemort decided to attack us" and there was a series of gasps from everyone.

"What?" said an alarmed Hannah.

"I'll tell you about it later" Harry assured her. He felt drained now after what had happened on Sodor, and it was all he could do to stay awake. "My plan is going to bed for an undetermined time. Dumbledore won this round, but he will not win the war. He is going to be brought down, even if I have to do it with my bare hands" and with that, he strode from the room.

"He'll be alright soon" said Hermione softly. She looked down at Neville, and then said that they had better leave him in peace. They left him alone in the Hospital Wing and returned to where they lived. Harry had already gone to bed, but Hermione was still worried about him though anyway. Harry was certain that Dumbledore had had a hand in Sirius's death, though he had mentioned that he might not have actually killed him himself. As she half listened to more details of what had happened, Hermione thought about when would be the good time to tell Harry about his parent's will not being read.

"HELLO? Earth to Hermione?" Dean's waving hand brought her out of her deep thinking.

"Sorry" she said, "You was saying?" and Dean rolled his eyes before speaking again.

"We just wondered when we should contact Neville's grandmother" he said. "We should let her know that Neville's alright" but to his surprise, Parvati shook her head.

"She hasn't even been told about him getting injured" the girl pointed out. "Besides, isn't it better to find out how bad Neville is going to be? Assuming that his arm is never going to be fully healed" she added.

"Perhaps" Dean conceded, "So what do we do?" he asked. They all looked at each other, before they turned to look at Hermione.

"What?" asked the bushy haired girl.

"Well in the absence of Harry, you are the next best thing to a leader" Lavender said.

"Oh great" Hermione dead panned. "Well before I say anything, there is something you should be told about" and she told them about the unread will.

"That's illegal!" said Susan "Dumbledore could be fined for that, or even put in Azkaban for a year. How the hell has he got away with that?" and Hermione said she didn't know.

"The first thing we should do is to get as much documentation as we can" Padma said.

"Where can we get that from?" asked Hermione.

"Well we can request a lot of it from Gringotts" said the former Ravenclaw. "Some of it though will have to got from the Ministry" and Hermione frowned.

"I don't think they will let us just walk in there and take what we want" she said at last. They all tried to think of something, and it was Hannah that figured it out.

"Susan would know where everything is because of her Aunt. All we do is to make her Harry's lawyer, and then she can get what she needs. All Harry has to do is to register the appointment of Susan, and then everything is wrapped up nice and legal" and it sounded a good plan.

"I'll talk to Harry about it when he is in a better mood" Hermione promised. "The main problem is what to do about Dumbledore's attack. I am sure that the Americans will want to investigate and maybe prosecute him" and Seamus snorted.

"Jackson told us that they proberly won't do that at all. From what we've been able to gather, the only serious attack happened on Neville. And that took place right here" he said. "Everyone else was hit by stunners or jinxes at the worst. Because of that little trick that Harry did, it means that the attack happened on UK soil" and Hermione suddenly smirked.

"That's why he did it!" she laughed. "Harry knew Dumbledore might attack…" and the plan was easily seen once explained.

#

**Hogwarts**

**Headmaster's Office**

"So where was the little brat?" asked Molly Weasley.

"I do not know" admitted Dumbledore. "We had traced his magical signature, but he clearly wasn't there. He can not have had time to hide, not could he have hidden himself with magic. I would detected the powerful burst from him" and he thought about it for a moment.

"Well at least we got something with his seed on it" said Lupin. "I can have the potion made by the middle of next week at the earliest" and a smile crossed over the faces of both the Weasley adults.

"It will be a normal period before birth?" asked Mr Weasley.

"Yes" said Lupin, "But I will try to cut it down by a month if possible. Too much altering of what I have, and we may well have to try and get more of him for another attempt" and he went on to explain that it was a complex potion.

"All Ginerva has to do is drink it, and there will be no effects to her. Except the fact she is carrying Harry's child" Dumbledore said.

"Good" said Mrs Weasley. "Ginny is most willing to help in the plans" she assured the Headmaster. "And Ron is pleased with what he has been given" she added. Ron had been made Head Boy and Quidditch captain. This was the price which Dumbledore was willing to pay in order to get hold of some of the Potter fortune.

#

**Hogwarts**

**Potions Dungeons**

It was clear that Harry had not got the message, so he had to think of another way. That was why Snape was down in the dungeons where he normally resided, and he looked around to see if anyone was nearby. Satisfied, Snape reached out and removed one of the ingredients from the bench in front of him. He was just in time because at that moment, Lupin came into the room.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"I was coming to speak to you, but found you not here. I was about to go when I saw the potion bubbling. I read your notes and added the material from the Potter brat for you" Snape said.

"Thank you, Severus" Lupin.

"I am surprised why Dumbledore didn't ask me to brew it" Snape remarked.

"Most likely so that if Voldemort tries to read your mind, you can possibly prove that he didn't ask you. I don't really know to be honest" Lupin said. "All that matters is that we get everything that the brat owns" and Snape nodded and agreed. Now that he had removed the vital ingredients, Snape could now do his best to hurt Harry. But first he would tell him in a letter what the Order was planning on doing.

#

**Salem**

**Several Hours Later**

"I'm back!" called Neville as he came into the living room. The others turned to see him walk up to them, and Luna jumped up and gave him a massive hug.

"I was so worried" she sobbed into his jumper. Neville just held her tightly, and stroked her hair softly.

"Good to see you up and about" said Harry, and he looked at the newly repaired arm. "So you okay to do everything then?" Harry asked him.

"Oh yeah" smiled Neville. "I have a ten year guarantee on this. If it fails, then I get my money back" and Dean laughed as well as Hermione.

"Well you picked a good time for you to get back to us" said Harry. "We was just discussing Dumbledore's attack, and how we plan to get back at him. It seems that the will of my parents hasn't been read, so I have written to Gringotts and asked for the will to be read. No doubt Dumbledore will try to pass off some law against me having it, but we'll not let that happen" and Harry went on to explain exactly what was going to happen. He had arranged for the will reading to happen at Christmas, so they had a few months to prepare for the event. After hearing it all, Neville was sure it would be a most interesting session.

"Well it will all be heard in a Gringotts office" he added.

"Actually I have asked for it to be heard in court. That way he can not disprove what was said" Harry said.

"That was my idea" said Hermione.

"Well Hermione helped a bit" Harry added quickly, and Hermione gave him a half hearted glare.

"Well whoever thought of it was onto a good thing there" said Neville, and he sat down with Luna perching on the chair arm to his left. "So what do we do until the case? I imagine that Dumbledore will try something. He always acted oddly when he came visiting over the summer. It was almost as if he was reading my mind" and Harry's neck snapped round so he was looking at Hermione.

"Are you thinking what I am thinking?" she asked.

"I think so" Harry replied.

"What?" asked Hannah.

"Dumbledore was reading my mind all the time we were at Hogwarts. I bet he did it to others as well" Harry said.

"I got that feeling myself, but I thought it was just that he knew so much" said Seamus.

"Can we do anything about that?" asked Luna.

"We can kill him" suggested Lavender.

"Let us not be so drastic. How about we think of something that won't land us all in prison?" Hermione said. Before she could speak again, Dobby appeared in the middle of the living room. He looked around for Harry, and then held out a letter to him.

"A letter, Harry Potter sir" said the elf. Harry took it, and then scanned it for any charms or spells. They only one that was on the letter was a charm which meant it could only be opened by the addressee.

"Thank you, Dobby" said Harry, and the elf beamed before popping away.

"Who do you think sent it?" asked Neville.

"I have no idea" Harry shrugged, and he opened the letter.

_Dear Potter_

_Dumbledore is planning on making Ginerva Weasley pregnant with your child. Once you are born, you would be killed. I have prevented that however, but I thought you should be informed. I owe a debt to your mother – that is now paid._

_Signed_

_A Friend_

"Of all the two timing low down things" Harry exploded. "Can Dumbledore have done this?" he asked, passing the note so that Hermione and Padma could read it.

"Possibly" Padma said. "So long as there is the… seed… in the potion, it could be true. But the letter says that it won't happen" she added.

"We can't assume that this is accurate though" Hermione interjected. "Though I have heard of this myself. It is like the magical version of IVF" and Harry caught on.

"Dumbledore is planning on getting a child by me. Once he or she is born, he will kill me and get Ginny to hand over a large some of money to him and the order. The bloody bastard" he swore, and Harry sat fuming as the others waited for him to calm down. When he was, Hermione sealed the door with a tricky little locking spell that would take some time to undo.

"Time for a council of war" she said when she got questioning looks. She conjured some pen and paper and propped it up against her knee. "So what do we know about Dumbledore? Starting from the top".

"He tried to get Harry to give up most of his life this year" Neville said.

"He also tried to stop him from speaking to his friends" added Luna.

"Ordered him to turn in his Quidditch equipment because he wouldn't be _able_ to play" said Susan.

"Don't forget that he tried to prevent him from attending Sirius Black's will reading" Hannah said.

"And his parents" Dean said.

"Tried to bribe him with being a prefect" Seamus said.

"He's a bastard" said lavender.

"And he resorts to potions and stuff when he doesn't get his way" said the twins. Hermione wrote it all down, and then started to think of things.

"Harry?" she said, looking up.

"Mmm?" Harry replied.

"Do you think that you could get the reading heard sooner?" Hermione said. "If we do it now, then the potion will be easier to detect on Ginny. We will have to sound out someone though for our own testing. I wouldn't put much doubt into anyone that Dumbledore suggests – except Pomfrey" she added. "I don't think she is in on it. Pomfrey wouldn't hurt anyone, and I bet she'd even treat Voldemort if he needed it" and Harry thought about it.

"What do you think?" he asked Susan.

"Well the earliest it could happen is this weekend" she said after a moment's thought. "But I have had another thought just now. If Harry was to die, then there is a chance he might try to put Hermione under a spell and make her marry Ron Weasley" and Harry froze in the act of picking up a cup of tea that Dobby had left. Why he had brought it with him, he did not know.

"That the only method?" he asked.

"That or a marriage contract" Parvati said.

"Marriage contract?" said Hermione in surprise. "I thought that was illegal now" she said.

"Not in the Wizarding world" Padma said. "It is like a muggle one though, but with a few tiny changes. With a Wizarding one, Hermione would be forced to accept the offer" and Hermione frowned.

"Why?" she questioned the girl.

"Because she is muggle born" Harry said slowly, and the others nodded silently.

"There is a way out of it though" said Lavender.

"Oh?"

"Harry could propose to Hermione. As she would be engaged, not even Dumbledore could order the marriage contract to take place" and Lavender blushed, and then the Patil twins looked sad slightly.

"Girls? What's wrong?" asked Dean.

"It's the reason why we know so much about marriage contracts" said Parvati.

"Our father entered us into them when we were both very young" said Padma. "We don't know our Husbands – To – Be, but our father has said that he will get a lot of money for us both" and she burst into tears and fled up to the girls dorm.

"I didn't know" said Harry.

"Not even Lavender knew" said Parvati.

"It seems stupid and horrible" said Hannah.

"Selling off your children to gain money and status" Susan shook her head. Harry's mind was spinning with thoughts of the recent attack, Dumbledore, his parent's Will Reading and now this.

"Why don't you go and sort out your sister, Pav?" suggested the raven haired boy. Parvati looked oddly at Harry before going upstairs.

"What are you planning?" asked Susan. "As your lawyer, I really should know" she joked.

"I was thinking about getting the twins out of their contracts" Harry said seriously.

"You can only have one wife at a time" Neville pointed out.

"I know that" said Harry.

"So what are we going to do?" asked Hermione. The girl had forgotten about her own problems for the moment.

"When we go over for the will reading, I will request a meeting with their father afterwards. I will see what I can do for them. I might not know them as friends as well as Hermione or Neville say, but they are friends nonetheless. I will not see them go off into a life of what seems to be little more then slavery" Harry said.

"What are you going to do?" asked Seamus. "Tell him that you are going to steal his children?"

"More or less" Harry said. ",ore or less" and the rest of them could see Harry was being perfectly serious.

**A/N:**

**So another exciting chapter of Leaving Home.**

**So we have Dumbledore attempting to steal the fortune, only to be saved by Snape. For those of you who didn't get it, it was him who sent the note to Harry.**

**Well I hope you liked this chapter, because the next will be the last for some time. Why? I hear you ask? Well looked below this sentence.**

**HARRY POTTER TRUE FRIENDS 2 IS GOING TO BE OUT SOON!!!!!**

**Bet you're all looking forward to that! It will take some time to complete, but I always planned for it to take a back seat to my other works.**

**Back to Leaving Home:**

**If any of you have any suggestions as to what might happen, then please suggest it. All reviews are answered personally – a nice little touch I always think!**

**By the way – to the anon user galaxy. If you post what I think you will post, then I will simply delete your review. If you keep on posing the same one, then I will simply disable the anon reviews. I leave them on out of courtesy, but that is slowly running out. So what if my grammar is bad? I will write the way I want, and will not conform to your high values.**

**BE WARNED!**

**So if any of you have any theories, then please say in your reviews. It is always fun to see what some of you come up with…**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	13. The 10000 word Chapter!

**Where There's A Will…**

_Dear Albus Dumbledore_

_You are hereby requested and required to attend the will reading appertaining to the deceased persons James and Lily Potter. Due to a request by the primary benefactor, the reading will be heard in court. Please present yourself at the Ministry by 10am this Saturday. Failure to attend in person, failure to appoint a Proxy or to otherwise inform the Goblin in charge of the reading will result in your forfeiting of any and all bequeaths._

Griphook

_Potter Family Accountant_

#

_Dear Filius Flitwick_

_You are hereby requested and required to attend the will reading appertaining to the deceased persons James and Lily Potter. Due to a request by the primary benefactor, the reading will be heard in court. Please present yourself at the Ministry by 10am this Saturday. Failure to attend in person, failure to appoint a Proxy or to otherwise inform the Goblin in charge of the reading will result in your forfeiting of any and all bequeaths._

#

_Dear Remus Lupin_

_You are hereby requested and required to attend the will reading appertaining to the deceased persons James and Lily Potter. Due to a request by the primary benefactor, the reading will be heard in court. Please present yourself at the Ministry by 10am this Saturday. Failure to attend in person, failure to appoint a Proxy or to otherwise inform the Goblin in charge of the reading will result in your forfeiting of any and all bequeaths._

Griphook

_Potter Family Accountant_

#

_Dear Minerva McGonagall_

_You are hereby requested and required to attend the will reading appertaining to the deceased persons James and Lily Potter. Due to a request by the primary benefactor, the reading will be heard in court. Please present yourself at the Ministry by 10am this Saturday. Failure to attend in person, failure to appoint a Proxy or to otherwise inform the Goblin in charge of the reading will result in your forfeiting of any and all bequeaths._

Griphook

_Potter Family Accountant_

#

Harry received a letter from Hogwarts that same day from Dumbledore. Dobby delivered it in the middle of potions, and Harry had to remind him to not pop in unless it was very important as it disturbed classes. Dobby apologised and demanded punishment, and Harry knew something that would serve.

"I want you to clean up this mess, change the air in the room, and bring everyone a glass of whatever soft drink they want" Harry said. Dobby did as he was told, and soon everyone was drinking cool drinks during the remainder of the lesson. It was during break that Harry opened it, and he laughed at the contents.

_Dear Harry,_

_I know that we have not started this year as well as previous ones, and for that I would like to apologise. I understand that you have transferred schools along with several of your friends. Yours and their places are still open for your speedy return._

_The main point of this letter is due to the will reading of your parents. Even though you are emancipated, I can not allow you to attend for fear of Death Eaters kidnapping you. You of course will trust me enough to appoint me as your representative. I will ensure that you get everything that is cleared by me as being non dangerous. Please sign the form enclosed and return it as soon as possible._

_Albus Dumbledore_

Harry's reply was exactly ten words long.

_Dear Albus Dumbledore_

_Why not get stuffed?_

_Yours,_

_Harry Potter_

#

"I can't believe that he has the cheek to demand that you not attend your own parents reading" Hermione said.

"Well I think my letter was to the point" Harry replied. "I have had enough of him interfering in my life. Personally I am surprised that he didn't get investigated when I _accidentally_ revealed the little matter of Ariana. Then again, he is supposed to be fair, right and just. I think I am going to enjoy tomorrow" he added.

"I think you will enjoy it too much" Hermione said.

"I wouldn't know about that, Hermione" said Neville. "I am rather looking forward to tomorrow as well.

"What is that chemical formula again?" asked Hannah. She was working on something for potions.

"Oh that big worded one? It goes like this" Hermione said.

"This is going to take some time" said Harry.

"Want me to put on some coffee?" Neville laughed.

"" Hermione finished. She was pleased that she had only taken five pauses to say the whole thing.

"What is it?" Hannah asked.

"Titin" said Hermione, and Hannah looked at her.

"Why didn't you gave me that at first?" she asked.

"You never asked" came the grinning reply.

"Oh are we finished?" Harry said, catching the eye of the others, "Only we celebrated Christmas about six weeks ago" and Hannah looked ready to curse him. Susan had to step in and calm her best friend down.

"How about we just finish there?" she suggested. "I bet you could do with a nice good long time spent outside in the sunshine" and her friend agreed. The two went out, and it left the others to finish planning for tomorrow.

"The reading should only take a few minutes" Luna said. "We have the whole day afterwards to enjoy" and Harry looked over at Hermione. He had an idea on where to spend the rest of the morning, and the whole of the afternoon. All it involved was the cost of a bit of money and of time. After what had happened, and what they had done, Harry assumed that it wouldn't be too much trouble to do what he planned.

"So are you all coming with me tomorrow?" he asked.

"Well I know I am" Hermione said.

"And me" Neville said.

"Where Neville goes, I shall follow" was Luna's simple statement.

"We're coming too" said Dean and Seamus at the same time.

"We're in" chimed the trio of Padma, Parvati and Lavender.

"And I guess that the girls will be coming as well" Harry said, referring to Hannah and Susan. Despite the fact that he had only been together closely with them for a short while, Harry had bonded with them all. He now knew what it was like to have friends – those that really were his friends, and not those money grabbing beggars like the Weasleys. He didn't count Fred or George in that though as he knew they didn't hold with most of what their mother said.

"You better tell Jackson that we are leaving tomorrow" Hermione reminded her boyfriend. Harry nodded, and left to tell the Principal about where the group was going. While he could go when he pleased, he thought it at least a courtesy that he inform Jackson anyway. He also had to be told about the others, but when he met him, Jackson said that as long as they left from inside their own rooms, it would be classed as British territory and therefore not his concern. He did thank him though for letting him know about them leaving, but then asked Harry to tell Dobby to stop bringing drinks to the entire school. It seemed that when Harry said all the students, the elf had taken it to mean ALL the students in the school.

#

On his way back, Harry called to the Hospital Wing to get a sleeping draught from the nurse. He was surprised to see there was a man there instead.

"Ah you must be Harry Potter?" he said. There was a trace of a southen drawl about him that was refreshing to Harry's ears. "Names McCoy. Leonard McCoy. I used to be Chief Medical Officer aboard the _USS Enterprise_. Then I took early retirement and found myself working here. I hear that I missed some rather good events" McCoy said.

"Something like that" Harry said.

"Well now, what can I do to help you, my boy" McCoy said.

"Me and the rest of my friends need to go to our Ministry tomorrow, but w need a sleeping draught. Just the one because we don't need a full eight hours – time difference and all" Harry said.

"Only be too happy to help" McCoy said. He went to the store room and brought back a vial of the potion. "A little sip each should do" the man said.

"Thank you Doctor" Harry said.

"Call me Bones" McCoy said. Harry bid him farewell and then returned to the private suite.

"Got it" he called as he came in. They all lined up and took a little sip, before heading up to the dorms to sleep. Because of the time difference, the group would have to wake up at 3:30am, and have just a few minutes before they took the Floo and portkeys to the Ministry.

#

Harry's solution to the problem of them all needing a shower was to get Dobby to check them into the lake, then dry them off right away with a snap of his fingers. Once they had all got a cup of tea – nothing else mattered before that – they went to the fireplace and then travelled through it to the House Harry had near the Institute. Once there, they said a quick hello to Winky who was doing some repair work, and they went outside to portkey away to the Ministry. Their arrival caused several people to look at them, but no Aurors came to arrest Harry. This might have had something to do with the fact his ten companions immediately assumed a ring around Harry with wands drawn. Under those circumstances, and not wanting to be known as the person who ordered the attack on Harry Potter, the guard let them pass without inspection. They took the lift down to as far as possible, and then down a flight of stairs to Courtroom Ten.

"Ah!" said Harry brightly, "Home sweet home" and as he expected, Dumbledore, Lupin, Flitwick and McGonagall were present. What he didn't expect was that the Weasley family – the _entire_ Weasley family – had also turned up.

"What are they doing here?" Hermione hissed.

"They didn't get invited to the reading" said Susan, "I would have known about it otherwise" and Harry wondered what trick this was by Dumbledore. There was only one way to find out of course.

"What are they doing here?" he asked Dumbledore – speaking to him for the first time months.

"The Weasleys are my advisors" Dumbledore replied. "May I ask you the same about your… companions" and Harry was about to refuse to speak when an odd through came across his mind.

"They are also my advisors" he said.

"All of them?" said Dumbledore, raising an eyebrow at that. Behind him, the Weasleys looked on in interest.

"Of course they are. I'll even name them for you" Harry said, and began to list them off. "Hermione Granger – my information advisor. Neville Longbottom – magical plants advisor. Dean Thomas – sports advisor. Seamus Finnegan – Guinness advisor. Hannah Abbot – painting advisor. Lavender Brown – bunny rabbit advisor. Padma Patil – Star Wars advisor. Parvati Patil – how to get rid of annoying arseholes advisor. Susan Bones – legal advisor. Luna Lovegood – my personal oral sex advisor. Now if there isn't anything else to talk about, l would like to get started" and Harry conjured chairs for them all to use. Inwardly, he laughed at the different advidsory roles he had. Dumbledore was wondering if Harry was being serious or not. To her credit, Luna had a knowing gron on her face. Harry wondered what was going to be said. he also felt nervous in case his parents appeared in some form. A door to the side opened, and in came Griphook with a large file in his hands. He sat at the court scribe's desk, underneath a watching member of the Wizendgamot.

"Good Morning everyone" the goblin said. "We are all here for the will reading of James and Lily Potter. Before we start, why are the Weasley family here?" Griphook asked.

"They are my advisors" Dumbledore explained.

"Mmm" said Griphook. "Very well then, let us start. The will has been left in the form of text which I shall read out to you all. Firstly though, is anyone here acting as a Proxy?" everyone shook their heads. "Good. I do so hate those little issues. This is the reading of James and Lily Potter. Anyone has is left something, will be given it afterwards, or taken to the vaults should it be too large to carry. I shall now begin: We, James and Lily Potter, being of sound mind and judgement, do hereby make the following gifts to the following people:

To Minerva McGonagall – Lily leaves her entire collection of transfiguration books, 100,000 Galleons and the rights to McGowen's Toffee. James leaves you 100,000 Galleons as well, Ash's Highland Shortbread., half shares in Bells whiskey company, and the property of Dunslabane Manor. James would also like to hand over the homework he never handed in.

To Remus Lupin – we leave you the sum of 100,000 Galleons, two newly made suits to be made after this reading, and orders to stay away from Harry. We knew you was secretly spying on us for Dumbledore… SO STAY AWAY FROM HARRY OR ELSE!

To Filius Flitwick – We leave you the sum of 200,000 Galleons, our entire collection of swords and duelling pistols, some rare and out of print charms books (the goblin reading this will shall give you a list of what they are), half shares in Bells whiskey company, and several R2D2 suits.

To Albus Dumbledore – We leave a Barbie doll, a nightlight, James's dirty underwear. As they haven't been washed for at least ten years, you can imagine the smell. We also leave you a year's member ship to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance.

To Griphook – if that old stubborn battleaxe is still hobbling around that hovel he calls a bank, then we leave the sum of 100,000 Galleons, four Picasso paintings and the book _Banking for Dummies_. This is a thank you for all the hard work in managing our accounts, you awkward bugger. Please also take care of our accounts until Harry takes over as head of the Potter family.

To our son Harry – first of all we are sorry that we haven't been able to see you grow up into the exceptional young man we thought you would be. Both of us hope you are enjoying living with your godfather, Sirius, and not those relatives of your mother, the Dursleys. They hate magic, so we have kept you away from them. If of course Sirius is unable to carry out the functions of godfather, then you should have gone to either the Longbottoms or Minerva McGonagall. Now to what we leave you – YOU GET EVERYTHING1 The houses, money, lands, heirlooms, muggle porn magazines (JAMES!), 50% shares in Manchester United, 50% shares in Hull City, ownership of the _daily Prophet_, all of James's shares in both the Nimbus and Firebolt broom companies, and all of our love and hopes for the future. If the idiot is still around, then be careful of Albus Dumbledore. He is a maniputive old codger, and will stop at nothing in order to get what he wants. He has tried at least three times already to take you away from us _'for the greater good'_ and we believe that he may try again after our deaths. Be careful, have a good life, and do as many girls as you humanly can do (YOU JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET YOU HOME JAMES POTTER!)

This concludes the reading of the will" Griphook opened the file again, and passed a sheet of parchment to Flitwick, McGonagall, Lupin and Dumbledore. He passed the rest of it to Harry who was on the verge of tears. Apart from seeing his mother and father in the Mirror of Erised, this was the closest he could remember being to his parents.

"Just a moment" Dumbledore said. "I believe that the Potters were under a type of mind control, and therefore didn't know exactly what they had been writing. As Chief Warlock, I overturn this will, and declare this one to be the correct and actuate version" he handed over two pieces of parchment which Griphook looked like. "I believe you will find that it gives me control of the entire Potter estate, and custody of Harry" and he looked at the raven haired boy who had a few tears running down his face. "You will come with me, Mr Potter. During the holidays you will live with the Dursleys. After lessons, you will train for several hours in order to defeat Voldemort. I have arranged a marriage for you with Ginny Weasley. You will therefore sever your relationship with Miss Granger at once. You will also not see these people you call your friends. They are only after money. You should not be stupid like your parents to oppose all that I offer you" and Harry jumped to his feet so fast, he sent both his chair and Hermione flying. Almost as fast as lightning, Harry drew his wand on Dumbledore.

"Albus Dumbledore! You have impeached the honour of myself, the Potter family, and my friends. For that I demand satisfaction" and Lupin called out.

"Aurors!" and almost instantly Aurors appeared in every doorway out of the courtroom. Dumbledore had planed for such an eventuality as this.

"Aurors, you will place Mr Potter under arrest and take him to Hogwarts" Dumbledore said.

"Like hell" Dean said, and he – along with the others – arranged themselves behind Harry with wands out and ready for battle. The Aurors moved in on the huddle, and the ten friends brought the wands up. Then Molly Weasley stood up, and spoke to the room.

"I, Molly Weasley, enter my daughter, Ginerva Molly Weasley into a marriage contract with Harry Potter" and Harry looked over at her. "I so enter because she is pregnant with Harry Potter's child" and McGonagall looked at smiling Ginny with a look of surprise on her face. She knew of no way that the girl could have got pregnant by Harry, and this puzzled her. Judging by the look on Flitwick's face he was thinking exactly the same.

"Oh isn't it wonderful, Harry" Ginny said. "Now we can be together, have children and have a happy family. We can live with my family, and we'll be so happy. I can be a much better wife then Granger can ever be" and the way that Ginny was talking made Harry think of the Child Catcher in _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_.

"I, Arthur Weasley, do enter my son, Ronald Bilius Weasley into a marriage contract with one Hermione Jane Granger. The intended can not refuse due to her blood status" Mr Weasley spoke so fast that Harry couldn't interrupt him speaking. Hermione gasped as she understood what had been discussed the previous day at Salem.

"Because of the fact that Granger is only a Mudblood, I use my status as a pureblood to acquire her as property. As such, my first order is that she comes over to me at once. Second is that she ceases all contact with Harry Potter, or any of his friends present with him at the moment. My third order is that she hand over her wand. I have decided that she will no longer be educated" Ron leered at Hermione.

"No…" Hermione said in a frightened whisper. She was pushed into the middle of the mass by Dean and Seamus, and she now stood next to Harry who held her hand.

"Come here now!" Ron demanded.

"Oh Harry…" Ginny sweetly said, "Why do you hesitate? Surely you want to be with the mother of your child? Why stay with that slag? She is nothing to me. Marry me, and you can give me anything that I want" and Harry shook his head, let go of Hermione and pushed his way through the circle. As he did so, the mass shifted and reconfigured so that it gave maximum protection to Hermione.

"I don't think so" Harry said. "I've not had sex with you, Ginerva. I know that most of your family are in on this deal, and that's fine. He only ones I respect are Fred and George. So you claim to be pregnant with my child do you?" and Ginny nodded.

"I haven't been with anyone else, my dearest" said the only Weasley daughter.

"What about Michel Corner?" Harry said softly enough for only his side to hear. "I don't believe you. I demand a test to be performed" and to his surprise, Dumbledore agreed.

"I'll fetch Poppy" he said.

"I don't think so" Harry shot out. "I want a healer from St Mungos. It was just as well that I arranged for one", and Griphook snapped his fingers and a male healer appeared next to him. He blinked a few times and looked around. "Glad you could make it" Harry said, "I was wondering if you could perform that spell for me" and the healer nodded. He went over to Ginny and muttered several spells as he waved his wand over him.

"The girl is not pregnant" he said at last.

"I do not believe it" Dumbledore said. "Miss Weasley is pregnant" he insisted.

"From what? A moonbeam?" Harry said. He could see both Flitwick and McGonagall performing silencing charms on themselves so they could laugh all they wanted. "Healer? Perform the spell again" and the result was exactly the same.

"This girl is not pregnant" he said again.

"Thank you for your help" Harry said, and then man left the courtroom.

"How can this be?" Ginny said, still with a smile on her face.

"Perhaps this might explain it" and Harry threw the little letter he had received to Dumbledore. The Headmaster uncrumpled it and then read the missive. His face paled visibly as he did so.

"Whatever matters" Ron said with another leer, "At least I still get the mudblood. Granger! Come to me at once" he ordered. Hermione was about to move when Harry spoke.

"I, Harry James Potter do hereby call the life debt owed to me several times by Ronald Bilius Weasley. I, Harry James Potter, do call the life debt owed to me several times by Ginerva Molly Weasley" and Harry felt a rather Slytherin like pleasure at the looks of immense panic on their faces. He saw the grinning faces of Fred and George, and he made a mental note to ask for Pensive recordings of this whole event. It was sure to prove very entertaining viewing.

"Looks like someone forgot about that" said Lavender with a chuckle.

"Life debts? Neither of us owe you a life debts at all, Potter" spat Ron. While all this was going on, the member of the Wizengamot was using an Auto-Quotes quill to record everything that was said. Griphook had sat on his chair, put his feet up on the table and watched the whole event.

"You don't?" Well lets count them back then shall we?" Harry said. "In my second year at Hogwarts I saved Ginny from dying at the soul shadow of Voldemort. That was nearly at the cost of my own life. Third year I saved you from having your soul sucked out of you. Fourth year, and I saved you from death holding out against Voldemort. True I had some help, but I was able at least to weaken him a bit. And last year, I saved both of you by taking on several Death Eaters at once. Don't forget you was stupid enough to mess with the brain jars" and Harry watched the faces of Ron and Ginny drop as they realised Harry was telling the truth.

"Oops" said Luna quietly.

"Your lives belong to me now, but I have not got time to give you a lot of instructions for now. My first order of _you_, Ron is that you are not to marry Hermione. You shall tear up the contract at once" Harry ordered.

"I…" and then Ron did as was he was told.

"As for you, Ginny" Harry said, and he went over to her and handed over a wand. "Take this wand and put the tip against your head" and Ginny was compelled to do so.

"What are you doing to my daughter?" shrieked Molly Weasley.

"SILENCE!" Harry bellowed, his eyes glowed with fire. The red haired woman simply whimpered. "Now Ginny, I want you to kill yourself" and Ginny looked at Harry with surprise.

"Harry?" it was Hermione's voice.

"Not now, Hermione" her boyfriend said firmly. "I gave you an order" Harry said to Ginny, "Now do it" and with tears in her eyes Ginny nodded.

"_Adava Kedavra_" and to the surprise of many on the room, nothing happened at all.

"That was a false wand" Harry said...

Ginny was sobbing uncontrollably now, but Harry seemingly had no regard for her life. "You wanted to get pregnant with my child did you?" he asked, walking around and looking all over Ginny like she was a used car he might buy. He didn't want to treat her like this, but he knew this was the only way.

"This has gone far enough" Dumbledore said. "Call off the debts, Harry. You and I shall return to Hogwarts where you will be taught in isolation" Dumbledore said, and he made a move towards him.

"Don't even think about it" Harry said. "You touch me, and I'll rip your head off. You might think that I'm the mild and meek Harry Potter. Well not any longer! This is a Harry who has had his parents murdered. Been abused most of his life by those who were not even supposed to look after me. I've seen the death of friends and people I consider family. This is a Harry Potter who has stared at the face of death so many times, we are on first name terms. I'm the boy who lived? Well that's fine. I couldn't help that from happening, so I am that person" Harry paused to look at the room. Flitwick was not saying much at all, McGonagall was surprised that Harry was being like this, Dumbledore seemed to be thinking of how he could still get what he wanted, Ron looked like he had lost everything, most of the other Weasleys had pale faces, Griphook looked very amused at the whole event, his friends looked as If they had heard this before and then there was Ginny. The girl couldn't move because Harry hadn't told her to yet. She stood where she was and sobbed.

"I think perhaps everything is a little out of control. If we meet in my office at Hogwarts, I am sure we can sort this out" Dumbledore said.

"I don't think so" said Harry, looking at the older wizard. Then he looked at the sobbing Ginny who was trying to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. "You wanted to be pregnant with my child did you? Well I'll grant you that before I leave. Come with me" and Ginny had no choice but to follow Harry. The Weasley tried to stop him, but Dumbledore said that they could lose their magic if they attempted to do so. Harry and Ginny walked past the Aurors and into a side room. Ginny went in first and Harry shut the door behind him.

"What are you going to do to me?" she asked.

"Well as you more or less belong to me, I thought I'd have my way with you. Strip" he commanded. Ginny blinked in surprise.

"What?" she questioned him.

"You heard me – strip" Harry said, and after a moment's hesitation Ginny put her hands on the top of her blouse and started to undo the top button. As she began to undo the second, in her mind she could see images of Harry doing whatever he wanted with her. As quick as a flash, Harry brought his wand up and stunned Ginny. "You can come out now" he called, and the healer cancelled the spell which had made him invisible.

"This is the person?" he asked Harry.

"Yes" he replied. "Ginny is a good girl – find out what is wrong with her. Send me details via Gringotts will you? I'll need them for later on" and after receiving a nod from the healer, Harry walked out the room and returned to the courtroom.

"What did you do to my daughter?" demanded Mrs Weasley.

"What do you think?" Harry replied, and Mrs Weasley went ballistic.

"That's my daughter you scum. How could you do that after how we treated you!" she shrieked.

"How could _you_ do what you was planning after I had saved your daughter's life?" Harry said in reply. He then looked at the others in the room. Hermione and the rest of the wild geese looked as if they had been in a stand off, most of the Weasleys looked horrified that things had not gone their way, Flitwick and McGonagall had gone and Dumbledore looked as if he was plotting a scheme or two. The Weasley twins looked like Christmas had come early for them. Harry hoped that they had got everything possible, and with them it was a certainty.

"Perhaps we could seek a neutral party to help us solve this problem" Dumbledore suggested. Harry had finally had enough of him.

"WHY DON'T YOU FUCK OFF DUMBLEDORE?" Harry bellowed, causing everyone to jump. "I have had enough of you telling me what to do. You think that I am going to live with someone of your chosing? Have you not heard of the emancipation proclamation?" he asked.

"No" Dumbledore said, "I have never been a fan of hip hop" and Harry sighed.

"Just forget about it. Now I am very busy today, so I have two more things concerning life debts, and then we are done" Harry said. "I, Harry James Potter, do order Ronald Bilius Weasley to not make any attempt to engage Hermione Jane Granger in a marriage contract for the next 24 hours" and Ron looked both surprised and pleased. Harry would enjoy seeing his face later during the pensive recordings the Weasley twins would be sending to him later on. "And now for the other thing. I, Harry James Potter do now collect on the life debt owed to me by one Hermione Jane Granger" The Weasleys, Dumbledore, the member of the court and the Aurors gasped. Hermione did the same and then wondered what Harry was on about. "As part of the debt owed to me, I order Hermione Jane Granger to be engaged to me, and to become my wife at a later date" and he grinned at Hermione as she realised what he had done. As part of the debt she owed him for saving her life in the first year (and other times), he was making her accept a marriage proposal. She didn't mind one little bit as it meant she was now safe from any new contracts. Hermione squealed with delight as she ran over and hugged him tightly – kissing him in full view of the other people in he courtroom.

"Thank you" she whispered as she pulled away from him. With a huge smile on his face, and with Hermione's hand in his own, he walked out the room with the rest of his true friends with him.

#

"That might go down as one of the best performances of your life" Neville said, and he shook Harry's hand. Dean and Seamus did the same while the girls hugged and kissed Hermione.

"What did you do to Ginny?" asked Seamus.

"I took her into that side room, told her strip and as she was starting to undo her blouse – I stunned her. I want to know if she was doing this willingly or if she was under potions, spells or mind control charms. If she was, then she'll get all the help she needs. If not, then I'll kick her arse all the way to Mars" and Hermione came up and held on tightly to Harry. She was overjoyed that she would no longer have to worry about Ron. She and Harry intended to get married anyway, so it didn't really matter that it was part of her life debt to him. She did wonder though if he'd invoke it in the honeymoon night – just for an added spice!

"So what are going to do now?" asked Lavender.

"Now I have a meeting with Padma and Parvati's father" Harry said. "Griphook has arranged for it to happen at the bank. I am going to see what I can do about them not being sold off as if they were nothing more then objects. They are not objects" he added, "They are my friends" and the girls smiled and thanked him for whatever he was about to do. As this was a private meeting, only Harry and the twins could in – the others had to wait outside in a waiting room. Hermione did wonder if Mr Patil had been in the order during the Dark War, but couldn't remember if he had been or not.

#

"Good morning, Mr Potter" said Mr Patil. Victor Patil was just taller then Harry, well built and had black hair. He watched as Padma and Parvati greeted him in Hindi as was the family custom. "First of all, I would like to thank you for bringing my daughters here with you. It makes things much easier for later on. Now on to business. What is it you wish to discuss with me?" he asked Harry.

"Sir, I would like to know your intentions towards Padma and Parvati" Harry said.

"My intentions? Ah yes! I have found them both husbands who will pay me a large sum of money each to marry one of the girls – a dowry if you will. Not only that, but I will also gain some power by the exchange" Mr Patil said.

"I'm sorry" Harry said, "For a minute it sounded like you planned to sell them off just so you got money and power. I must have been mistaken" he added.

"I have decided what they will do. I am their father, and they will do as they are told and marry their chosen husbands. Please arrange for their belongings to be sent over from where you are now" and Harry kept his cool with the twins's father.

"Mr Patil, they're some of my truest friends. I protest at the way you are treating them. Before coming here I read up on your customs, and to be honest it isn't right. I know that from where you come from, it is legal, but this is England. We don't sell our daughters off for money and power… not any more" Harry added.

"What do you propose then?" asked Mr Patil. "They will be treated decently, given food, drink, clothing, warmth, and in exchange they will produce many sons and daughters" and Harry looked at each of the girls to see that they looked terrible and depressed. Something suddenly shot into his mind.

"What if I was to buy them off you instead? As head of the Potter family, I have more wealth then the rest of Britain put together. I will pay their dowries instead" Harry said calmly as if he was discussing Quidditch teams.

"I am afraid that this is most impossible" Mr Patil chuckled, "Though it is a good tactic to have used against me. I am sorry, but my decision is final".

"I was wondering" Harry said, "What happens if either or both of the husbands abuse either or both of the girls? What would happen then?" he asked, and Mr Patil blinked.

"If they hit their wives, I am certain that they deserved it" he answered after a moment of thinking, "Now we must be going. Daughters, you will come with me now" and it was Parvati who spoke.

"We don't want to go" she said.

"What you want is irrelevant" said her father, "You are nothing more then property to be sold off to whomever I so choose. Now come with me – we have weddings to plan" and this time it was Padma who spoke.

"But we'd might be made to go back to India" she said, "Or at least not to see our friends" and Victor Patil was not happy.

"That is no concern. If you ant, then you can give Mr Potter here your wands. After you marry you shall have no use for them" and to Harry, this was a no-no.

"Why are you doing this to us?" asked Parvati.

"Because I can" was the simple reply. The girls looked at each other and nodded.

"We're staying with our friends" they said in unison.

"If you do not come with me, then I will cast you out of the family home and out of the family itself. I will see to it that nobody marries you. If you don't do as you are told, then I will destroy your lives!" Mr Patil bellowed.

"Victor Patil" Harry said, getting slowly to his feet, "I will give you a choice here and now. Sell the girls to me" and the older man shook his head.

"No" he said firmly. "I, Victor Patil, do hereby cast Padma and Parvati Patil out of the family home and out of the family itself. Now then, lets see you carve out a living without any hope. Perhaps you might get jobs in a brothel. I hear they like Indian and Asians mainly" and there was a loud snap as Harry's anger from the will reading bubbled over, and he apparated from his seat to in front of the standing Mr Patil. He jabbed his wand under his chin.

"Get out of this room, while you are still able" he snarled, "Have everything that is belong to Padma and Parvati packed up and sent to me via Gringotts" and Mr Patil took the safe option of leaving quickly.

"HAAAARRRRRRRRYYYY" both Padma and Parvati flung themselves on Harry.

"Guys!" he said, and the others came into the meeting room. Harry explained what had happened, and the other girls went over and started to comfort the distraught teenagers. "Don't you worry about a thing" he said, "I won't let you go without a thing. If there is something you want, then let me know and I'll get it for you" he assured them.

"But how can we repay you? We have no money – save what is in our school accounts" the girls said in-between sobs.

"Being my friends is payment enough" Harry said. What was needed was to spend the rest of the weekend doing something so that they could all calm down after the day's events. The question was where to go, and it was then that it struck him. "I'll be back" he said, and he went off to find Griphook. After directions from several awestruck Goblins – four of which asked for his autograph – Harry knocked on the office door.

"Come in" Griphook called. Harry walked into the officer, and Griphook waved Harry to a seat. "What can I do for you, Lord Potter?" he asked.

"It's Harry Potter or Harry. I hate titles" Harry started, "I was wondering if there was any chance of purchasing a property. My friends and I are in need of somewhere which is not on the list of properties that Dumbledore knows about. I'd go to the house in America, but I wouldn't put it past him to know where it is – even with the wards in place" Harry finished.

"A wise decision and choice" said Griphook. The goblin had raised concerns about Dumbledore's actions on more then one occasion, but it seemed as if nobody cared. If they did, then they kept very quiet about it. "Would you like me to bring you the complete list of properties, or would you like to narrow down the choices.?" He asked.

"Can you select everything that is in the Island of Sodor please?" Harry said, and have it sent where I just had my meeting" and Griphook said he would sort that out at once. Harry returned to see Padma and Parvati missing from the room along with Luna.

"Don't worry" said Hermione, "Luna took them to the toilet to sort themselves out" and Harry put away his wand again. "Anyway, where did you go?" she asked him.

"Had to see a goblin about a house" he replied, and then he waited with the others until the three girls came back. As it happened, they returned moments before Griphook came in with a small file.

"This is all of the properties we have" he said, and he gave the file over to Harry. "Each bit of parchment shows the location, age and currant condition of the property. They start from the smallest ones, with the larger ones at the back of the file. Some are magical properties, and some are muggle ones that are owned by all sorts of witches and wizards for one reason or another" Griphook explained.

"What are you looking for?" asked Hannah.

"Holiday home" Harry said. Hannah was puzzled by this comment. She knew that Harry had dozens houses – from both the Black and the Potter families. Harry and Hermione skipped to the larger ones, and nine out of the ten other people in the room looked at them in puzzlement as they discussed bedrooms, locations and transport links. Griphook had drinks brought in while they waited, and it was about midday when Harry said they had found a place.

"That is good news" the goblin said, "Which one have you decided to buy?" he asked.

"Alcroft House" Harry said.

"Oh I know the place well" Griphook said at once, and Harry raised an eyebrow. "I used the place last month for my holiday. Stayed indoors during the daylight though of course. But I did like the wonder of seeing the stars in wide open fields" and he took the parchment with the rejected places in, and kept the picked one in his hand.

"How long will it take to buy?" asked Hermione.

"Only a few minutes" Griphook said. "You are lucky of course. The house is fully furnished which is an oddity. Most places are cleared out before viewings start" and Harry tilted his head slightly.

"We'll be back in about twenty minutes or so" Harry said, "We have some shopping to do" and he led most of the confused people out of the bank and stepped into Diagon Alley.

"Before we go anywhere" said Seamus, "Care to explain what is going on, Harry?" and Harry gave a hearty laugh.

"Well after everything that has happened, I thought we could all do with some time off. As it is the weekend, we have more then enough time to have some fun. Griphook is buying me a property on an island, and I think you will all find it very interesting indeed" Harry said smiling.

"I have no idea what is going on" said Lavender, "But if Harry thinks its safe, then its safe in my book"and Harry was truly surprised at the faith that was put in him.

"Thank you", he said to her. "Now then I have something for us all to drink, then we're going shopping for some clothes" and he pulled a vial of some liquid.

"Is that what I think it is?" asked Neville. He took his little sip along with the others, and then was handed one of Harry's cards. They split into teams of twos or threes, and lined up at the end of the alley.

"Now then" Harry said, "We've all had pepper up potion, got debit cards and so on the count three we go. One… two… three GO!" and the hyper teens tore down Diagon Alley and went shopping faster then on _Supermarket Sweep_.

#

After a mad dash around shopping, they returned with parcels all shrunk down to fit inside what was called a shopping trunk. Harry was glad he took the time to buy one of those. They returned to Gringotts where Griphook waited for them with some papers.

"I see that your little shopping trip was a success" the goblin said as Harry put down the trunk.

"It was" he replied. "Did you get everything sorted?" Harry asked.

"I was able to do it without any major problems" Harry's favourite goblin said in reply. "These are ownership papers, a list of wards that are on the property and keys. Your keys are the masters, but you may copy them as many times as you wish. You may floo to the place whenever you wish – just remember to do the standard ownership announcement when you get there" Griphook reminded Harry. After thanking him, and putting the documents and keys in the shopping trunk, Harry led the way to the nearest floo network.

"Allcroft House!" and Harry jumped into the flames. The others followed him, and they arrived inside what appeared to be a late 19th century manor house.

"Wow" gasped Susan, "This is like out of a fairy tale" and the others agreed with her. Harry cleared his throat and spoke to the house.

"I, Harry James Potter, do hereby take ownership of this house as its rightful owner" and there was a flash of light that lit up the room as the ownership was recognised by the wards. "With regards to floo access, only the following people are allowed in: Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Lavender Brown, Seamus Finnegan, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Padma Patil, Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas. Anti-Portkey wards are to remain in effect" and another flash of light, this time gold as opposed to the blue before, lit up the room.

"Lets get rooms sorted out, and then we can look around the house" Hermione suggested, and they went upstairs and discovered the bedrooms actually took up half the first, and all of the second floor. Harry's friends insisted that he take the master bedroom as it was only fair on account that he owned the place. Harry's room had a huge double king sized four poster bed, en-suite bathroom, a walk-in wardrobe, a lounge chair as well as an old fashioned writing desk with wooden chair with a leather seat and back. Several huge windows gave a view over the front garden and the road beyond. In the distance, Harry could Knapford station and he wondered what Luna would make of the talking steam engines. As for everyone else, they found that their bedrooms all had e-suites bathrooms, but had drawers and stand up wardrobes. Each had windows over looking the front or back gardens depending on the location of the bedroom. Harry took the shopping trunk around and handed out the packages of clothes, books and other assorted items that they had brought. Once they had sorted things out, they all met downstairs where they had arrived.

"This place is awesome" said Neville. "I thinks its almost like a miniature Hogwarts in a way" he added.

"Only without Dumbledore" Parvati noted with a smile, then she sobered up and looked at Harry. "My sister and I would like to thank you for looking after us and sticking up to our father" and Harry waved her seriousness away.

"I was only helping friends in need" he said lightly. "Now according to these plans of the house, there is a library, an indoor swimming pool, games room, study, dining room and perhaps a ball room" Harry added.

"Perhaps?" commented Lavender.

"Well its either a dancing type of ball room, or there is an indoor football pitch. I'm inclined to go with the ballroom theory" and it did sound the right idea.

"I guess this must be a sitting room" Hannah remarked. "The chairs and the sofa give it away" and then Harry wanted to look at the kitchen. He went there with Dean who Harry knew to be a good cook, and they found a chef's wet dream. Several stoves and ovens lined the walls, a huge counter sat in the middle of the room, other smaller tables did the same and upon opening a drawer Harry found complete sets of cooking knives. The ovens were not gas or early electric, but wood or coal burning ones. Harry looked at Dean.

"If only Delia Smith was here" the black skinned boy said. He opened cupboards to find immaculate copper cooking pots and pans, and Harry found china plates in another. Taking his wand, he cast an unbreakable charm on them all as they looked very fragile.

"Sweet Merlin" Susan said as she came in to take a look around. "Someone tell me I'm not dreaming this" and her best friend obliged by hitting her with a stinging hex on the backside. "Not dreaming" she muttered as she rubbed the affected area.

"Pantry's over here" called Neville. He had opened a door and the others could see wooden shelves sat into the stone walls.

"Three cheers for Harry" said Luna, and the others gave three cheers out of the blue to Harry who blushed a bright red.

"We'll having lunch here" said the boy, and he looked at his watch. "Let's save the rest of the house until later. What do you say we go into town and meet some friends of mine?" Harry said.

"You have friends here?" asked Padma.

"Where _here_ is" said her sister.

"We know one or two people" Harry said, and they saw the wink that he gave to Hermione. She knew now exactly where they ere, and she started thinking the same thoughts as Harry. After leaving the house, Harry locked the door and they walked down the garden to the large metal gates that marked the property boundry. Once outside, they looked up and down for a bus stop but couldn't find one. "Lets head that way" Harry said, pointing at a sign that said MAIN ROAD – THIS WAY in white letters on a green background – with an arrow to show which way to go. They had a five minute walk where they found a junction with the main road into town. They waited until a bus came.

"It has a face" said Parvati.

"Oh you just wait" Harry said, and he paid the fare all the way to the train station. As they travelled along the many roads, Harry and Hermione watched as the others acted like little kids in a sweetshop. They gazed out of the windows at the green fields which slowly gave way to a built up feel of habitation.

"When they see the trains, they are going to go nuts" Hermione said, and snuggled up to Harry as much as she could on the bus. They got off at their destination, and Harry said they needed to go inside that train station. To the constant surprise of most of them, Harry and Hermione were greeted by many of the staff – some by name.

"Is the Fat Controller in?" Harry asked to someone he clearly knew.

"I think so" the man replied, and he went behind a glass panelled walled and picked up the phone. After a few moments, he came back out and nodded. "Go right up, Harry" he said.

"Cheers, Charlie" Harry said, "Right" he turned to his friends "Follow me" and they followed him blindly. As they did so, Dean and Seamus looked at the posters on the walls, and suddenly knew where they where.

"We on the island of bloody Sodor" burst out Seamus.

"Indeed" boomed a plump and suited man.

"Oh dear god" Dean's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

"No I am not god, but in this railway I am the next best thing" said the Fat Controller. "It is good to see you back so soon you two" he said to Harry and Hermione.

"Good to be back" Hermione replied, "And how is Oliver doing?" she asked.

"Well on his way to being fixed" the Fat Controller replied. "He has been telling us all about the escapades he and his crew got up when they got as far as they did. It would make quite an interesting story" he added. "So, Harry, who are your friends?" and Harry introduced them one by one.

"I just brought Allcroft House" Harry said to the owner of the railway.

"Oh good" said the Fat Controller. "It was about time that someone got the place, it was sad to see it empty for so long. I understand though that it was occupied for a short while a month ago – someone who could only come out at night because of a skin complaint or so I heard" he added. It was at this point that Harry's friends had questions to ask, and the Fat Controller answered each and everyone. With a knowing smile and look at Harry and Hermione, he picked up his phone and spoke into it. "Is Thomas still on shed? He is? Good! Can you have him couple up to a coach please and have him come to the station when he can? I would like him to pull an important train" and he put down the receiver. They asked a few more questions as they all trooped down to the platforms, and they could see all the other engines working in and out of the station.

"Poop Poop Poooooop" Gordon said. "Harry and Hermione are back. Harry and Hermione are back" and Luna was the first to speak.

"Excuse me" she began, "But it just speak?" and Gordon let out a little hiss of steam.

"It has a name" Gordon said, "My name is Gordon. Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine" he went on. "I'm glad I had to go to the works after what happened recently" the bright blue engine said to Harry.

"Oh?"

"Yes, the works people found several other minor problems with me, so they did the work there and then" Gordon said, "Now if you excuse me, I must be off with the express" and he puffed majesticly out of the station.

"I can believe that steam engines are alive" Hannah said. "How?" she wondered alive.

"Magic" said a voice, and Harry and Hermione spun round to see the new arrival. "Good to see you two again" he said to the pair.

"Hello, Thomas" Hermione greeted him. "These are our friends: Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Lavender Brown, Seamus Finnegan, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Padma Patil, Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas" and Thomas said hello to them all.

"Welcome to Sodor" he whistled.

"Will you please take them on a special trip round the island please?" asked the Fat Controller.

"Of course" Thomas replied, and they got into the special observation coach. After getting the right away, Thomas gave off a whistle and carefully pulled away from the busy station. The group could not believe their luck in being friends of Harry, and they all made a silent vow to help Harry as much as they could. they wondered several times if this was elaborate hoax, but Harry and Hermione assured them that this was quite, quite real. Harry was feeling content that he had people he could call his friends. People who wanted to be friends with Harry, and not Harry's bank vault. It still seemed odd though, but Harry expected that this was because he had only had Hermione as a true friend – he had always been suspicious of Ron.

"Harry?" Hermione's voice shook him from his thoughts.

"Yeah?" he said.

"What would you have done if Ron didn't have a debt he owed to you?" she asked him.

"I'd have done time inside" Harry replied. Harry's use of a muggle phrase told her that he was fiercely protective of her.

"You mean kill him right?" and Harry nodded.

"It's lucky that I like porridge then" he joked, and then the moment was past. "You know something? I wouldn't change this for all the tea in china" Harry told Hermione. "After getting away from the Dursleys and escaping Dumbledore's clutches, I didn't know what I wanted except to be with you. Now I have friends, and I still don't know how to act like a friend" and Hermione thought about it a while.

"That's understandable" she said, "For most of your life you was made to have no friends, and whilst at Hogwarts, you faced danger at nearly every turn. You had people putting themselves across as friends, but you don't have to worry about that anymore" and Hermione hugged him tightly and then kissed him on the lips gently.

"Thanks" Harry whispered in her ear. "What do you think would have happened if Dumbledore had put me in Azkaban?" he asked his girlfriend.

"If that had happened, then the rest of us would have launched a full scale tactical assault on the place and sprung you out of jail" she replied. Harry chuckled as the pair watched the others at various parts of the carriage look out of the windows at the scenery rushing past them. From appearances, Thomas and his crew seemed to be taking the group to all the places they had taken Harry and Hermione on their first visit to the railway. They had to stop at Coven's Gate so that Thomas could refuel and fill up his tank with water. While this was going on, Harry and Hermione took them to the far side platform where they could see several engines under repair in the works. From the state that one was in, Oliver was in the middle of being rebuilt. Harry wasn't sure about the others, but was certain that he could spot Edward inside. He assumed that it was because of boiler trouble, and Harry knew Edward suffered from it badly.

"Peep pip pip peep" whistled Thomas. He was waiting for them in a bay platform, and so they went back to him to board the coach. "I am so glad that you are able to see us again" the blue engine said to Harry and Hermione. "I suppose that you might want to get back so you can refuel yourselves" he added with a wink.

"You really are a useful engine" Hermione said, patting Thomas's side. They got in, and Thomas pulled them back to Knapford were they ate lunch.

"Best afternoon ever" said Harry and nearly cried in happiness. He had just realised something. Something wonderful and something beautiful. Harry Potter had found his family.

#

Things had not been going Dumbledore's way. Harry had slipped from his grasp again, and he had also called in life debts owed to him by the two youngest Weasleys. Harry had walked out of the courtroom with Ginny, and yet had not returned with her. The potions he had given to her had been sabotaged, and he couldn't think of who had done it. After Harry had left the courtroom for the second and last time, he tried to look for Ginny but couldn't find a single clue vis a vis her whereabouts. One thing that annoyed him was the fact that she hadn't even been seen in St Mungos. He promised that he would find Ginny and bring her back safely to the fold of the Weasley family. He decided to call an order meeting for later that evening.

#

Voldemort looked at the man in front of him, and spoke in cold tones to him.

"Report" he ordered.

"My lord" Snape began, "Potter had the will of his parents read this morning, and Dumbledore was surprised by the outcome"

"Oh? How so, Severus?" Voldemort enquired.

"The will made mention of the suspicions of the Potters. They didn't think that they could trust Dumbledore as much as other people did at the time. They left him nothing, and gave nearly everything to the brat" Snape went on with his report. "I have been told by Dumbledore that he attempted to have the will overturned, but was later told the bid had been rejected. The youngest Weasley, Ginny, has disappeared and has not been seen since. I understand there is a panic over her disappearance. One rumour has it she has been taken by Potter as a sex slave" and Snape filled Voldemort in on the plot with the potions.

"You felt pity to the Potter boy, Severus? That surprises even me. I was rather under the impression that you hated him a passion" Voldemort cackled.

"That is true, my lord, but I owed his mother a life debt – long before I joined your service. When you killed lily Potter, the debt passed onto her son. I tampered with the potion as I believe that the lumbering old fool would have killed Potter. Besides, my lord, I know you have been… upset by the fact **that** Potter had been killed before you had done the deed yourself" and Voldemort nodded.

"You have done well Severus. We will slip into the shadows, and build up our forces. I will only allow small raids to ensure that the magical population of this country know we are still around" the dark lord said. "We shall wait until Potter and his friends have finished their educations. Pass the word to all my Death Eaters now, and all those yet to come, that if they see Potter or any of his friends, they will disengage from combat at once. Also pass the word that we shall make no attempt on any Ministry location or on Hogwarts. The same goes for Gringotts as well. We shall lull them into a false sense of security, and then take them when their guard is down" and all the Death Eaters in the room started chanting Voldemort's name.

**A/N:**

**I DID IT – I DID IT – I DID IT - ! 10,000 words for a chapter in any of my fics. The word that was number 10,000 is indicated in bold. (not including title or A/N) Sorry if you find this rambling in parts, but it all helped to get there! Total word count for this chapter – including A/N – stands at 10,313 words.**

**Now then, this is the last chapter that I will doing for a while, as work is not ongoing on True Friends 2.**

**There is a Star Trek quote somewhere – hunt it down.**

**Well I am going now to celebrate this occasion down the local pub!**

**All reviews and Pms are welcome, but the anon user galaxy will be deleted out of hand. I write in my own style, and in the way in how I was brought up – SO GO STUFF IT!**

**Reviews and Pm's in the normal manner,**

**Regards,**

**Pixel**


	14. There's A Way

**There's A Way**

Dumbledore had spent almost the rest of the day calling people he knew, but he now had found out what had happened to Ginny after the will reading. She had been taken by the healer to St Mungos and put through several tests. He was unable to discover exactly what the tests had involved, only that the results had been sent to Harry. The person in question now had evidence of what he and the Weasleys had done to try and get the Potter fortune. It was unclear as to what action Harry would take, but it was certain that he _would_ be doing something. Another attack on Salem was out of the question, as was an attack on whenever Harry came back to Britain. Dumbledore would have to keep a careful watch on what went on in the world of Harry James Potter, and wait for the right time to bring him under his power. Then again, there was always Hermione's parents.

# # # # #

The group arrived back at Salem the next day, and they went right back into lessons. Potions and Defence against the Dark Arts went past Harry as he thought about the will reading. The healer he had asked for would be spending the results in the post, and he wondered about the results. This train of thought vanished as Hermione leaned in for another kiss, and he returned the gesture.

"Are you alright?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah" Harry replied, "Just that I wonder about the results of the tests. What should I do if it turns out that she was acting under her own free will?" he asked.

"I see your point" his girlfriend conceded, "But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now we have another training session ahead, and we've only got this and two more before our first game against Washington" and Harry nodded.

"How is Dean coming along with the robes?" he asked.

"He finished the designs this afternoon, and Lavender and Parvati are making them up now" Hermione said, "And they should be ready to try sometime next week. For now, we'll just have to fly in our normal stuff" and Harry smirked as he thought of the uniforms they would be wearing.

"If I remember rightly, then the brooms should be hear sometime next week as well. That way we can have a full dress rehearsal of our tactics on our on brooms" he said.

"You shouldn't have spent your money on us" Hannah said.

"I can spend it on hat I want" Harry told her, "And I want to spend it on my friends" and Hermione understood.

"Well if you don't need me, then I'm off to meet a friend" Susan said, and she left her seat in the living room and headed out the suite at a run. Hannah watched her best friend charge out of the room, and briefly gave thought about going after her. Then she decided against it as she herself had friends that Susan didn't know yet. She, along with Lavender and the Patil twins headed off down to the lake to do some reading. Neville and Luna had gone off to one corner and had started talking behind a privacy charm. Dean was working on making outfits for them to wear for the Quidditch team – assisted by Seamus. It turned out that he was pretty good with a needle and thread, almost as good as being an artist, and so Harry had delegated the task of tailor to him. Hermione took the chance to talk about some things to Harry.

"I want to thank you again for what you did" she started, "But what are you going to do about Ginny if it turns out she is clear of potions or mind control?" Hermione asked him.

"I arn't sure, Mione" Harry replied, "All I do know is that I have to deal with whatever Dumbledore tries, and then take on Voldemort. My fear is that I die before I get to marry you" he added, and Hermione leaned in and cuddled him.

"You are not going anywhere" she told him. "And I will be by your side. I don't care how we get married, so long as it is at Christmas" and Harry started to form a plan in his mind.

"With a partner like you, I think that I can take on the world" he said, and smiled at Hermione's giggles. "I think that I'll have to send Ginny to Azkaban – even if I do basically own her life. Ron made no actual attack on me so far, so I don't know about him. Dumbledore is a tricky little bugger though" and Hermione nodded.

"He is well respected by many people, but I think he has lost the trust of Flitwick and McGonagall. Judging by the look on their faces, they appeared to be disgusted with what Dumbledore was planning on doing. It seems as if he is keeping things from two members of the Order. Whatever you do towards the school, I would leave them out of it" Hermione said, and Harry agreed about Flitwick and McGonagall.

"So what exactly do we do then?" he asked. He was unsure as to what he _could_ do. Legal matters of the Wizarding world were a mystery to him, but at least he had Susan to ask, and Hermione to research for the finer points.

"I am not sure" Hermione said, "But you should start making a list of everything Dumbledore has done that you consider to be wrong. That way we can present a case to the Wizendgamot that is as accurate as we possibly can get it" she finished.

"It sounds good" Harry said, "But I am not so sure about the timing. With Voldemort on the loose, we better not upset the balance of power so quickly. Lets just get on with our lives for now, and worry about the old fool later" and he kissed the top of Hermione's head.

"There is something else I wanted to speak about" his girlfriend said.

"Go ahead" Harry replied.

"About this marriage contract thing. Well I had a quick read about them, and it seems that there is a way to ensure that that council of idiots reconises it" Hermione said, and then she blushed a nice shade of red.

"What?" asked Harry.

"I er… um... I need you inside me" Hermione said, and Harry's jaw dropped.

"That wasn't what I was expecting" he said at last. "It was more or less along the lines of a promise ring or something like that" and Hermione blushed even redder. Luna and Neville watched from behind their invisible soundproofing at the two teens talking to each other. Harry and Hermione paid them no notice at all.

"Well a ring would be nice" Hermione admitted, "But it is one of only two ways that the Wizendgamot would realise that is a true contract" and Harry's mind hit upon something rather clever. It was times like this, that he understood why the Sorting Hat wanted to put him into Slytherin.

"That would only apply to marriages taking place in the wizarding world right?" he asked, and Hermione nodded. She wondered where he was going with this. "So we get married in a muggle church instead. You're muggle born, so is Dean, I might as well be one, Seamus is a Halfblood as the others are. Neville and Luna are the only Purebloods as far as I can recall" this had the effect of taking Hermione's mind off the thought of having to have sex with Harry. It wasn't that they didn't want sex with each other, it was just the fact that they had wanted to wait until they had been married first.

"You think it's legal?" Hermione asked after a while.

I should think so" said Harry, "Though we can check with Susan to see if she knows. It has to be on account of Dean and Seamus's parents getting married in the muggle world. If it isn't, then it is time to change the law" and Hermione looked at him.

"And what do we do if we are blocked?" she asked.

"Then we simply do it anyway and not tell anyone until after the event" Harry said, and he winked at her. He got up off the sofa and then pulled Hermione to her feet.

"Harry?"

"Time for Quidditch practice" Harry said, and he cancelled the silencing spell that was over Luna and Neville. It was something they had discovered that Harry could do, before they had first arrived at the Salem Institute.

#

A train thundered past on the line a little below the office, and the man watched it go past before turning back to his post. In the last twenty four hours, he had had an engine fail with a broken reverser, two on loan diesels fail with mechanical problems, his car break down and which resulted in having to take several different modes of transport to get to his wife's birthday party (even acting as a relief fireman for a steam train), and he hoped for a quieter week to end on. Amongst the letters was one that had an American postmark. He opened that at once, and read it. It was odd enough, but he had had several locations licenced in case of this sort of thing. It was a shame that Wilbert wasn't around – he would have loved to have officicated.

#

Ginny was returned to The Burrow the day after the will reading, and she looked none the worse for wear. She told the rest of the Weasleys – minus the twins – about what had happened the moment she had left the courtroom. After she had been un-stunned, she had found herself at St Mungos. A large team of Healers had put her through more tests then she had ever been through when she was a little girl, and several tests detirmined once and for all that she was not carrying Harry's child. What was ascertained was the fact she was not a virgin. All this was put into the report that would be sent to Harry. Normally this was not done at all, but this was part of what was entitled after someone was slured in this manner. During the tests, Poppy Pomfrey had come and offered her help. This was firmly refused, and Ginny told Dumbledore about this as well. She had repeated her tale after her mother had fire called Dumbledore to their house at once.

"It seems as if Harry has outsmarted us. I admit that I didn't expect him to all in life debts, but I will not allow him to od so again. After I have finished here, I will go to the Ministry and check the records and see who else owes Harry a life debt. I will do what I can to remove those so he can not try that trick again. We can not allow him to become another Dark Lord. If he does, and he joins with Voldemort, then we would stand no chance of survival" Dumbledore said.

"You think he might turn into one?" asked Mrs Weasley.

"He may well do" Dumbledore replied. "This is why he must be brought back to us – by force if need be. The marriage betwene himself and Miss Granger can not be allowed to go ahead, of course, so I will try to get that stoped" he added.

"How?" asked Ron.

"I will have a motion made that will stop them from being married by any member of the Wizendgamot" Dumbledore said carefully.

"But what about the instructions that Potter gave to Ron and Ginny?" Mr Weasley said.

"I will cast an _Imperio_ on him, and have him cancel out everything" Dumbledore said. "Now I must return to Hogwarts and tell Minerva a cover story. Both herself and Filius must not know about our plans. If they were to find out, then I would imagine a lot of people would be unhappy" and Dumbledore left for Hogwarts. The Weasleys started to plan on what they would be getting each, and how they would spend it. Little did they know that Harry was one step ahead of them.

#

Practice was pretty good when you allowed that Harry was the only one that played normally, and so he considered it a success. Harry wondered about the upcoming match, and if they would actually win. As he needed to finish the 'flight suits', Dean had remained in the tower along with Lavender who was a dab hand at sewing. When Harry had seen them, he was half tempted to actually have the still to be delivered brooms painted in the correct colours, but refrained from actually doing so. There was a bet going round the ten English people and one Irishman about how many of the students and staff would get the joke.

#

"This has gone on far enough" said Mrs Weasley. "My boy should be married to the Granger girl, and look at what has happened!" she added.

"Set backs I assure you" Dumbledore assured her. "While gaining control of Mr Potter is of a high concern, the main priority is learning more about why Voldemort has suddenly dropped out of sight. Severus has given me no reason from the Dark Lord, so I can only assume that he is up to some kind of massed attack" and Lupin nodded.

"It is most unlike him to simply drop off like this. He didn't do that in the last war, so the question is what is he doing?", and nobody could come up with an answer.

"We shall have to wait and see. My sources at the Ministry have sent me no information – not even a broken window pane – on any activities" Dumbledore stroked his long white beard for a moment. "I shall ask Severus to see what he can find out in a few days. Best not to have him make to many trips and alert any Aurors watching" and after a while the meeting broke up.

#

Severus Alan Rickman Snape was not having a good day. The Hufflepuffs had been doing better in their potions work then his own Slytherins, and he piled more and more work on them. As he glared at the franticly working students, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" he bellowed, and in walked a Gringotts goblin. "What do you what?" he asked.

"Per the instructions of the particulate will of Lily Potter, I have been asked to give you this" and the Goblin handed over a letter and then left the room. Curious as to the contents, and knowing that the class was looking at him through quick glances, Snape opened it up and read the contents. As he did so, a small magical photograph dropped out of the enverlope, and he looked at it closely.

"Lily" he whispered. The voice he used was one of many different emotions: wonder, surprise, sadness and nostalgia. "Class dismissed" he said.

"Sir?" said Malfoy. Since Harry had left, he had been doing as much as he wanted to other pupils. Despite the best efforts of the teachers (and Peeves), Draco Malfoy had not yet been expelled. The rest of the class – Hufflepuffs and Slytherins alike – had taken the good fortune and quickly scarpered.

"I said go" Snape said. He still looked at the photograph in his hand. It was one he had thought lost a decade and a half ago.

"I don't underst…" Malfoy was cut off.

"I DON'T CARE IF YOUR FATHER IS A FRIEND OF MINE! IT WILL NOT STOP ME FROM PICKING YOU UP AND THROWING YOU OUT OF THIS CLASS ROOM! NOW GO!" Snape bellowed. McGonagall would mention later that she had heard Snape speak – from the top of Gryffindor tower! Malfoy ran from the room as quick as he could.

"Sorry sir" he called. Snape snarled and then sealed the door with a locking spell. He went into his office, sealed that as well, and sat down to look at the photograph. Where had he gone wrong?

**A/N:**

**Okay then – another exciting chapter for you to all read! I hope you enjoyed it.**

**For those who have joined late – the office scene in the middle of the chapter is set on the island of Sodor. The incidents happening are all from the books or Tv episodes in the Thomas the tank Engine series – namely: (in order of mention) '**_Enterprising Engines_**' – two different stories, and '**Lady Hatt's Birthday Party**' from the tv series. The Wilbert he refers to is of course the Rev W Awdry – the man who created Thomas the Tank Engine. I hope that wherever he is, he doesn't mind a Thomas fan using his works to spread a little joy.**

**I know what my schedule on my ff homepage says, but I am going to change it soon, as I will be doing another chapter of I'm Not Going. For those wanting clues for True Friends 2, then this is the only clue you will get. The Harry from True friends/True Friends 2 will meet the Harrys of Leaving Home, Leaving Hogwarts, Escape To A New World, A year Without Harry, Never Assume The Worse and The Great Road Trip. (please restrain yourselves joemjackson and Submaruder and queenofspades19 – hold you joy inside).**

A referance to True Friends can be seen in Snape's middle names - I used them for his full name when he was sentanced and executed. I thought they sounded too good to pass over again...

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	15. Quidditch

**Quidditch**

The date of the first quidditch match came, and Harry watched as people took their heated leather seats. When he turned away, the black haired teen tugged the cap firmly onto his head.

"Good crowd?" asked Hermione.

"Looks like everyone and his mother is there" Harry said. Hermione, like himself, was wearing an almost identical flight suit. The only difference was that Hermione's had a pale yellow sash going from left to right across her front. In fact, those that were playing had different sashes: Harry's was blue, Hermione's yellow, Dean's purple, Seamus's orange, Neville's brown, Parvati's pink and Susan's sash was an off white.

"Are you nervous?" asked Neville.

"Sort of" Harry replied, "I mean that we've never played against this lot – even in a practice game. Just be careful out there, and if you think the move is getting too risky for you, I want you to pull out at once. I'd rather lost the match then lose a player" at that moment, the doors to the dressing room opened, and sunlight filled the space.

"AAANNNDDD here come the Thunderbirds" said the match announcer, and Harry led his team out and into the air. A small number got the joke, and all of them laughed. "Welcome one and all, to the first game of the season. This is Professor Jackson, and I will be giving the commentary for you today" When the cheers died down, Harry saw the referee release the bludgers and the Snitch. He mounted her broom and flew into the air. After one last warning, he threw the Quaffle into the air and the game began.

As the Snitch had disappeared from sight, Harry flew up and out of the way of the game to keep out of the way. He watched as the Quaffle was passed between Neville and Dean. It took nearly ten minutes for the first points to be scored – in the Thunderbirds' favour. Neville had held the ball right up until the very last moment. He had to dodge a bludger hit towards him by a Washington player, but Neville just rolled his broom completely round in a spin and then threw the ball into the hoop.

"And that's 10 points to the Thunderbirds, scored by first time player Neville Longbottom" Jackson said his voice carrying up to Harry still where he had flown up to. Washington took the Quaffle, and restarted the game. After an hour, the score was 40 – 30, with Harry and his team winning. There was a small "ooh" from the crowd and Harry saw a Washington player get hit by a bludger. He couldn't see who it was, but he heard the referee blow his whistle for a time out and noticed Neville flying towards him.

"Harry, some kid called Hardy took a beater to the head, he's alright but he isn't going to be able to play the rest of the game. I think that a substitute is coming on to play" Neville said referring to a substitute player.

The whistle blew to re-start the game. Thunderbirds took the Quaffle and immediately scored three times. There was a flash of gold right past Harry's nose and he set off in pursuit of the Snitch. He followed it right round the stadium and even screamed right in the middle of the main game, making several players scatter. The other teams seeker had clearly seen it as the blond haired boy was right behind him. Then something very strange happened and Harry noticed that his broom was slowing down. He lost sight of the snitch and Harry turned round to see what was causing the trouble. The other teams seeker was holding onto the back of Harry's Firebolt. He laughed and let go, flying back towards the Washington side of the pitch. Harry put his broom through a couple of manoeuvres in case the other seeker had cast a Jinx on it. After a while, the game was level at 100 – 100 points each. Harry decided to do one of his secret tricks. He called a time out, and flew to announce his plan to the team.

"Right then, we are going to use plan "A". Get ready to assemble into your places" Harry said to the agreements of the players. He called to the referee to tell him that he was ready to re-start the game. Once more the whistle blew and the team rose into the air. A few seconds later the team had formed into a ring and charged towards the Washington goal. The Washington's just stared at the tactic that had never been used before, as the Thunderbirds team passed them. Harry was in the lead and when he pulled up; the team broke up the ring and made a confusing jumble of players. Then Dean came flying down from the sky and levelled out, flying through the middle of the jumble. He tossed the ball into the goal and scored taking the game to 110 – 100. The game really got heated after that and somehow, despite the best efforts of the Thunderbirds team, Washington broke into the lead and took the score to 110 – 160. Even though Dean, Neville and Seamus tried their best, they couldn't get a single shot past Washinton's keeper. For all her fears of flying on a broom, Hermione was actually having the time of her life. She wished she had joined the Gryffindor team years before. Harry was cruising gently down one side of the pitch when he was nearly knocked off his broom by a passing bludger. Dean and Seamus saw it and chased after it at once. Suddenly there in Harry of him, the snitch whizzed past, and Harry once more set off in pursuit. This time he flew above it then aimed his Firebolt slightly down so that he would intercept the golden ball. He was just about to reach out and grab it when – WHAM. Harry fell off his broom and went plummeting down towards the ground and as he spun he saw the Washington seeker flying away from his broom and smiling in triumph. Harry managed to get his hand into his pocket and withdraw his wand, which was difficult considering he was falling from a great height, and cried "ACCIO" and his broom zoomed towards him. He managed to get on it and pull up and away from the ground before impacting it, though Harry's shoes collected grass stains. Though he hadn't heard it, the referee had blown his whistle and stopped the game and was surrounded by the entire Thunderbirds team as well as several Washingtons. Harry flew towards her to add his own protest.

"Mr Potter, are you alright?" asked the referee.

"Yes, thank you" Harry replied.

"What exactly happened" the man enquired.

"I saw the snitch and flew to catch it. I was almost on top of it, when this idiot flew his broom into mine and rammed me off it" Harry said giving an honest account of the incident. He was panting and almost out of breath.

"Professor, that's a lie! I never went anywhere near Potter or his stupid broom" The other teams seeker said trying to weasel his way out, and the entire Thunderbirds team erupted in protest. It took several seconds to restore calm. The referee flew over to where the teachers sat and had a hurried talk, after which he flew back to the players.

"Mr Antilies, I have been talking to the teachers and they agree with both Mr Potter's and the Thunderbirds team's version of events. I am taking 250 points from Washington house for trying to kill Mr Potter and also I am sending you off the field in disgrace, again for nearly killing Mr Potter, meaning you miss the next game for your team" he said pointing towards the slithering changing room. The other teams seeker – now identified as Antilies - looked at Harry with a sneer on his face. "Oh, and your head of house has been informed and will deal with you as well" the man added and Antilies turned his broom and flew slowly to the ground. Dean, Neville and Seamus cast Sonorus charms on themselves and led the crowd in a sing along version of the funeral march as they "escorted" boy down. With most of the school there, he must have felt humiliated at the sound, Harry thought. The game restarted with a rejuvenated Thunderbirds team and Jackson repeating the fact that the other teams seeker had been sent off. What some people didn't realise was that Washington had already used their reserve player, and didn't have another seeker as Harper was playing in goal, making Harry's job easier. He was so happy, that he treated the crowd to a quick display of aerobatics, making it look as if he had seen the snitch. He didn't want the Washingtons to protest after all. With a newly inspired team, the Thunderbirdss demolished Washington. In only ten minutes, they pulled into a draw and then went past and at the end of the ten minutes the score stood at 250 – 160. The game lasted well into the afternoon, and Harry spent the time going round and round the pitch helping out the rest of the team when he could. During a pause so that one of the Washington players could get back on their broom, Hermione drifted over.

"Harry, when will you catch the snitch? Its been long enough, and with no other seeker, you could have won this game ages ago" and Harry smiled.

"I could have done that, but where would all the fun have been? Always give the spectators a viewing. Just remember what you need to do when we win" Harry reminded her, and his girlfriend nodded and took up her place again.

The game restarted and Harry had caught the snitch in his view. He really went for it this time, urging every once of speed out of his broom. Harry even cast a weight reducing charm on himself to gain that extra speed and catch the snitch. There was a last chance effort to score points for Washington who still after several hours hadn't got higher then 160 points. Harry was speeding along the pitch when he glimpsed the Snitch going the other way, and he turned around whilst still going flatout on his Firebolt. Later post-match checking would report in Harry pulling over eight times normal gravity. The Firebolt rocketed through the air, and he dived and rolled to avoid players from all sides. Streching out, he deftly plucked the snitch from the air. The stadium erupted into cheers for Harry's team as he pulled up to a stop alongside Hermione, Dean and Seamus. The rest of them came up to the group as the score was read out - 400 for the Thunderbirds and 160 for Washington. Jackson was continually repeating the final score until he stopped due to a sore throat. The team formed up with Harry in the lead, all of them muttered a spell. There was a loud banging noise which quietened everyone, and the spectators looked up to see smoke forming over the refugees from Hogwarts. There was a trumpet blast, the sounds of multiple drum rolls and then the team came zooming out of the smoke – each trailing twenty foot Union Flags.*

"Show off!" called Seamus.

#

"I need a nice long soak" Harry said.

"I'd take a shower if I was you" said Luna.

"You want the bathtub I guess" Harry smiled.

"I don't think it's that" Hermione said, and handed over the parchment to Harry.

_Dear Mr Potter_

_You recently engaged my services for the purposes of examining Miss Ginerva Weasley. I present you my report of her currant medical status with mention of her mental health._

_**Name:**__ Ginerva Molly Weasley_

_**Age: **__15_

_**Occupation: **__Student – Hogwarts_

_**Current Medical and Mental Health:**_

_Miss Weasley has been examined by the highest ranking healers, and we can come to the conclusion that she has been acting under her own will, and also verify that no potions or spell has been used. Per the order and request, a mind healer was called and entered Miss Weasleys memories. She has independently verified that Miss Weasley was acting under her own will. The mind healer also took copies of several incidents that may be of some interest for you and your intended._

_Please be assured that none of will speak about this matter, unless asked to do so in a court of law._

_Doctor Who_

Harry wasn't sure what was the wizarding practice, so he showed his friends the memories and they all reacted with the same sort of emotions.

"Despicable" said Dean.

"Disgraceful" muttered Neville.

"Disgusting" said Seamus said, and for some reason the word was said in a Scouse accent then his normal one.

"What are you going to do?" asked Hermione. Harry was fuming with what had happened, and had been thinking for some time.

"First of all, I am going to get a shower, then I will have something to eat, then sort out a church and then defeat Albus Dumbledore once and for all" and with that, he left the room in a cloud of anger. There was silence as the others watched the door slam shut, and then at each other.

"He went too far" Hermione said, "This time Dumbledore went too far" and she would have exploded unless the other girls hadn't pulled out wedding brochures.

**A/N:**

**Hits head on nearest object..**

"Bad Pixel… Bad Pixel…**"**

**Now, I'd like to thank those people who wished me well. I've decided to go against Doctor's Orders, and resume work on the fanfics...**

**Well there is a reference to True Friends, and it is very sneakily hidden somewhere in here. I'll not be sceptical if not all of you can spot it. If none of you have heard of the Thunderbirds, then you don't deserve to read this fic. Yes you… you on the screen! Come on clear off… *kicks person/s out of the browser* now that is settled.**

**The next chapter will be set at Christmas, have a wedding, set up two characters to come out the closet, and then time jump one and a bit years into the future.**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	16. Life at Salem

**Life at Salem**

Dumbledore and the rest of the Order were sat in Dumbledore's office and trying to come up with a plan. Operation Drug Harry had been a failure, and Operation Bun In The Oven was a complete disaster. It would take their collective minds to get Harry under their control, and it was for the greater good that they did so. Once they had given him enough potions and used mind control charms, it would be easy to have Harry go to Voldemort and kill him. Once the Dark Lord's death had been confirmed, Dumbledore would arrest Harry for murder and lock him up in Azkaban. Some quiet words from him to the Dementors, and there would be a nasty accident where he died. It was really lucky then that Ginny would be carrying Harry's child.

"We will have to wait until Potter comes back here" Snape said. "It would be impossible to capture him whilst he is in America" and Dumbledore agreed.

"I will try to discover which houses that Mr Potter owns, and then have charms placed upon them. It is his duty to serve us, and he should stay under custody" the headmaster said.

"What if he has made it unplotable?" asked Lupin.

"A record of that should be in the Ministry" Dumbledore said. "If it is not, then we will have to ask Gringotts" but Mrs Weasley snorted.

"That isn't going to help" she said, "If you remember rightly, that Goblin who came to the reading seemed to me as if he was supporting Potter" and Dumbledore admitted she had a point.

"If that is the case, I'll call for a ruling from the Wizendgamot" and then the talk turned to one of Harry's money. After working hard to track him down and rescue him from the evil that lay on his path, the Order expected some kind of reward.

"What happens" asked Mr Weasley, "If the boy becomes more powerful then we can handle?".

"We… eliminate the problem" Dumbledore said.

#

Magical Creations class was quite interesting in what it did, and Harry, Hermione and Neville worked on a broom. It took a long time to soak each piece of wood in a special potion, take a large branch to shape it and then to put it all together. For the most part, the broom looked like any other one that you could buy. It was only after the rest was put together that one would see the difference, and this was the key to the entire project.

"This is looking good" said Professor Furlong.

"Thank you, sir" said Hermione. "We think we might be ready to test it later on this week" she added.

"We won't do the other stuff until we're sure this is safe" Harry told Furlong.

"If this works" said the Professor, "You will have a lot of broom manufacturers after the design plans" and Harry nodded.

"That is why we will only make them ourselves, and only sell them to Aurors" he said. "That way they will be used for good reasons" and that was the whole purpose of Harry's plan. The rest of the former Hogwarts students were also making brooms, but these only shared the same shape as the one that Harry, Hermione and Neville were making. On the workbench in front of them sat four incomplete brooms, and one pair was attached to a large plank of wood. The rest of the class watched at the ingenuity of the group – they always tried to make muggle appliances work in a magical environment.

"I'm just glad that you're riding this" Hermione told Harry. "I know I have got over my fear of riding a broom, but I don't think that I will be cut out for the role of test pilot" and her boyfriend laughed.

"Don't worry" he said, "This will be perfectly safe" and the trio moved over to help their friends – Hermione making notes on what they had done before going over. When class was over they put the different brooms into protective trunks to keep them safe, and then went for lunch. The rest of the students at Salem watched in amusement as the eleven got served with Fish and Chips – with mushy peas of course! From talking to students, Fish and Chips was something that not many had tried. Several who had been to England had tried the traditional dish, but none had liked it very much. The group found the packages sitting on the end of the table, so they picked them up, went to sit by the lake and had a rather nice picnic. By prior arrangement between Harry and Dobby, the food always came wrapped in newspaper as it always should do. Harry, Hermione, Dean, Seamus and the Patil twins claimed it tasted better that way, and the purebloods had not thought so at first but had agreed after a while. As they sat on a large conjured blanket, thoughts turned to Dumbledore and his plot to gain control of Harry.

"I don't see why we can't just let the press know" Luna said. "I mean I know my daddy would publish it as front page news" and Harry smiled.

"I know that, Luna" he said, "But not many people read the _Quibbler_, and most people think it is a bunch of nonsense. We'll have to come up with a way to get Dumbledore put away for some time" Harry added.

"The question is how we do it" Hannah said licking her fingers clean.

"Not as if we can take him to court over something minor" said Susan. It was then that Padma thought of something.

"Maybe not minor" she said, "But could Harry simply not take Dumbledore to court for attacking those under his care? At the very least he could take him to court for attempted financial and line theft" and Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Line theft?" she asked.

"I'm not surprised you don't know about it" said Padma. "Line theft is when a person or persons try to get someone pregnant so that they can take the money after an accident happens to the Head of House. In the Wizarding world, any child that is proved to be fathered by the head of house has to be acknowledged as that person's child" and this did not please Harry one bit.

"So who do we reckon is part of this then?" he asked.

"The Order minus McGonagall and Flitwick" Hermione said, and she reminded them all about how disgusted they had appeared with Dumbledore.

"Just once" Harry said to no one in particular, "Just once I would like a year were nothing happened" and he shook his head ruefully.

"When do you think we should try for a court case?" asked Seamus.

"Why not after Christmas?" suggested Lavender, "Because then there would be no way that Dumbledore could try splitting you and Hermione up" she said to Harry.

"Makes sense" he said after a moment's thought, "We'll go with that then" and with a wave of his hand, the litter vanished and the blanket returned to their suite. They went off to History of Magic and learnt more about the Witch Trials held at Salem.

#

The documents piled up higher and higher, but this made him happier and happier. Griphook was in his well furnished office at Gringotts, and the goblin was working through just over a decade and a half of financial records for anything that looked odd. Harry had requested it some time before, but the records had proved most hard to find. Dumbledore had made the records a secret, and then put the request for the records to be made secret a secret itself. Now though, Griphook was beginning to find patterns in the documents he was reading. Every year varying amounts were spent on the properties that made up the Potter estate, but this was acceptable. Griphook looked deeper into the records, and found that the Dursleys were paid hundreds of thousands of pounds each year of look after Harry. The goblin knew that none of this money was being used for its intended purpose. He also found that Dumbledore had been paying himself several million Galleons per year, with half a million being shelled out to "_The Order_". All these transactions had Harry's signature, but when checked against the dates in the many different ledgers, Harry had to have been signing his name since the age of 2. Griphook spent a long time checking the figures, and once he was sure that everything was correct, he sent a complete copy to Harry and then went to see the head of the bank. The meeting did not go as well as Griphook expected it would do, and he was left wondering if his boss was working for Dumbledore. What Griphook had done was to request that proceedings be started against Dumbledore for mismanaging Harry's accounts. The request had been refused with the leader saying that Dumbledore couldn't have done everything he was accused of. He would have to watch what he did from now on, and Griphook idly wondered if he would be murdered any time soon. It was an age old solution to problem solving in the Goblin community, but Griphook was wise enough to know that times were changing and the old ways would one day vanish.

#

When it got round to the next Magical Creations class Harry, Hermione and Neville took out their project from the protective trunk, and they laid the broom out on the workbench before them.

"I think that today might be the day" Neville said brightly.

"Well let's see if we can cast the charms correctly" Hermione warned him, and she set about casting various charms on the broom. Once she was satisfied with her work, Harry took over and put his hand out over it.

"Up" he commanded, and the broom rose into the air a good two feet. Hermione wrote down the success in the notebook.

"Five points to Sodor" Furlong said as he came over to inspect the progress. "Very well indeed. I will give you three an excuse note so that you may go outside and test the flying ability" and he wrote the note out for them. They went out into the grounds and Harry once again ordered the broom into the air – this time to a much better height.

"Have you got that talking box thing?" Neville asked as Harry sat on the broom.

"Yeah" Harry replied, and he tested that it worked with Hermione. The details of the first test flight would be easy enough – a simple once around the grounds at a height of ten feet. This was so that if something went wrong, at least Harry could roll off and not get serious injuries. The broom set off and Hermione kept in touch with Harry who fed her information about how the broom was handling in flight over the walkie talkie. When Harry returned to where he had set off from, Hermione examined the broom for any problems but found none. Neville watched the other two interact and smiled to himself in thought. He thought they made the perfect couple.

"Now you may do faster and higher flights" said Hermione, and Harry nodded at her.

"Off we go" he said, and rose much faster and higher then he had done so. When he got to the lake, Harry suddenly put the broom into a tight left hand turn and was surprised at how well it reacted to his touch. The production versions would need detuning, but as this was the prototype it didn't matter all that much. On the last flight of the day, Harry took it to within a dozen feet of the wards surrounding Salem and felt nothing. He would be breaching them next week though, and he would have to return the broom so that they could add the next pieces on. Once they had landed, Harry told Hermione and Neville about everything that had happened and it was all put into the notebook.

#

**Two Weeks Later**

The next flight of the broom took place with all of the class watching Harry hovering outside the school boundary. They wondered exactly he would be doing as they knew the broom wouldn't get past the wards. Apart from the class, Professors Jackson and Dorn also watched as Harry slowly got to the edge of the wards and bounced gently off them.

"You see that the wards around Salem prevented Harry from getting past" Hermione said, "But this broom has a trick that will allow it to get past them" and she pulled out the walkie talkie. "Alright, Harry. You may come in now" and Harry suddenly went at twice the speed he had just been at. When he got close to the wards, he seemed to fiddle with a box underneath him, and two small wings popped out – one for each side. With most of those on the ground looking stunned, Harry sailed cleanly through the wards, retracted the wings and made a perfect landing in front of them. The crowd burst into applause and Harry took several bows.

"How did you manage to get past the wards?" Jackson asked.

"It was difficult to think of a way" Harry said, "But Neville came up with the solution" and the other boy on the team nodded.

"The wards around the school stop magical items from entering unless the correct phrase is said" Neville explained, "So all we had to do was to turn the magical core of the broom off" and Dorn was a bit confused.

"How do you keep flying? I assume that the wings have something to with it?" he asked, and Hermione nodded.

"The wings help the rider to get past the wards" she said, "All that happens is that you glide down with no power for a bit, and then turn the power back on after you get past the wards" and Dorn and Jackson were stunned. Both men realised that fighting Dark Forces became much easier if one had a broom that could get past the wards put up.

"Is that it, or can it do anything else?" asked Jackson.

"The broom can also be used to spy on Death Eaters or anyone for that matter" Harry said.

"We thought about what use it would be if it would only just go through wards, so we came up with this" and Neville pulled out a hollow piece of wood that fitted over the handle of the broom. It had a single solid brass attachment to which Harry fitted a magical camera.

"Basically, we've just turned it into a spy plane" Hermione said proudly. All you have to do is to disillusion yourself and the broom, and then pass silently through the wards. Once past them, just turn on the magic again and fly around taking pictures of anything interesting. Once done, you can just simply get out again by the same method you used to get in" and after questions from all three Professors and the class, Harry was asked if they had a name for the broom. He, Hermione and Neville grouped into a huddle for a moment and then said that they would name it the _Blackbird_. Talk then turned to the creation of the paired brooms made by the other refugees from Hogwarts.

"Flying a broom can be a bit tiresome" said Parvati, "So we came up with an idea to pair two brooms up. They sit in the grooves made in the wood, and they fly nearly as well as if of their own" and Lavender took over.

"We sacrificed a small bit of handling for reliability and speed" she said. "These brooms, when docked, can reached the average cruising speed in three quarters of the time it takes for a single broom – not including a Firebolt of course" Lavender added. They demonstrated the broom adapter, and they christened it the _Gemini_ after the legend of the twins. Lavender remarked that at first it was going to be called the _Patil_ class after Padma and Parvati. Jackson, Dorn and Furlong were most impressed with the hard work put in, and they all headed back to the school. The brooms got placed in their protective trunks and then taken up to their dorms. Harry saw the large folders first, and he approached them with caution, and scanned them for Portkey use. When this proved false, he picked one up and started to read it with interest. The others watched as he turned all combinations of red, and it was Hermione who spoke first.

"What is it?" she asked gently.

"Griphook sent me the records of every transaction made to or from my accounts until I became head of the Potter family" Harry said, "Dumbledore has been stealing from the Potter vaults and giving it to himself and the Dursleys. All in all, they've stolen millions of pounds" and Hermione was as angry as Harry was.

"They complained that you were a burden on them" she hissed, "And all this time they gave the money Dumbledore was giving them to Dudley to spend. I'd start thinking about suing your relations, Harry" and Harry shook his head.

"Maybe later" he said, "We've got more important things to do first like a wedding" and all talk went to the wedding planning.

#

**Three Months Later**

Harry had sent Dobby and Winky to the house a few days in advance to make sure that there was an ample supply of food in the house. All the preparations had been finalised, and they just needed to transport over to the house. Over the last few months Harry had taken the _Blackbird_ on a number of proving and test flights, and it now boasted a much more elaborate surveillance package. It also no longer needed to be turned invisible as Hermione had come up with magic storage device which would allow it to cloak itself for up to one minute. This was enough to make one pass over a target and then get out as quickly as possible. Harry was disturbed from his thoughts when Dobby turned up in front of him with a letter.

"This is for you, Harry Potter sir" the elf said.

"Thanks Dobby" Harry said, and the elf beamed with delight and then vanished. The letter was simply another request from Ginny that Harry meet with her. '_And how many of the Order?_' he thought to himself. He threw it on the fire and then went for a walk around the Institute. He was somewhere near the potions labs when he came upon a slightly worried Hannah.

"Have you seen Susan by any chance?" she asked.

"Not for a while" Harry replied, "You two have another argument?" he added. Over the last few weeks, Susan and Hannah had argued over something that Susan was keeping a secret. Harry was of the opinion that it must be important if she kept it from her best friend.

"No" Hannah said to him, "But I've asked amongst our friends and nobody has seen her for sometime" and Harry's expression went into battle mode. "Oh I don't think she has been kidnapped" the former Hufflepuff added.

"Well if I see her, I'll let her know that you're looking for her" Harry said, and the two went their separate ways.

#

The hand went lower this time, and it dipped into the wetness. The young woman moaned in delight, and the owner of the hand pushed the fingers in.

"Oh more… more… more" said the red head.

"I hope you can handle it" said the other person. As it was done, the red head reached forwards and pulled hard on the nipples of the blonde. The blonde gasped as the enjoyable pain took her to new heights.

#

Harry had nearly forgotten about Susan being missing – having a wedding to attend in several days time – but he heard moaning sounds coming from one of the larger Defence Against The Dark Arts classrooms. He stopped for a moment to listen for it again, and sure enough he heard cries of pain and pleasure. His first thought was that it might be a lesson, but the school had broken up a few days before so it couldn't be that. Taking out his wand, Harry scanned the door for any privacy charms and found several. Thinking that it was prudent to break through them in case something was badly wrong, he waved his wand several times. Putting his hand on the handle, Harry turned it and opened the door to a bizarre sight. Susan was laying naked on top of a desk with her head straining up a bit to fit in-between another girl's legs. The other girl was receiving exactly the same treatment as she was giving her partner. Harry tried to back out slowly but failed when he hit another desk. The two girls snapped their heads round to stare at Harry.

"Erm.. Hi?" he said weakly.

"Hello Harry" said Susan. The other girl has got off her and was sitting on the edge of the desk. Neither of them seemed too concerned that Harry was looking at two very well endowed and very naked young ladies. "Would you mind shutting the door please? I don't want an audience" and Harry did so automatically.

"Harry Potter?" questioned the other girl, "A pleasure to meet you" and Harry nodded.

"I hope you don't mind if I don't shake your hand" he said, and tried very hard to keep looking at her or Susan's face.

"It's… understandable" she replied.

"I guess you found out my secret" Susan said slowly.

"About you liking girls?" Harry said, "I never judge people on their sexual preference. I judge them on what they say and do" he added. "I have no problem with you being a lesbian" and Susan giggled which shook her ample bosom a bit. _'Keep looking at her face… Keep looking at her face… Keep looking at her face'_

"I'm not a lesbian" she said, and she slipped off the desk, went over to Harry and kissed him deeply. "I'm bisexual" and Harry went a deep shade of crimson.

"Oh right" he managed to say, "So who is your erm… friend?" he asked.

"This is Miriam Ivy Christmas Patterson" Susan said. "She likes girls as well"

"This I can see" Harry assured her.

"And you like them as well" Miriam said, looking down at Harry's crotch. There was a very noticeable bulge in his jeans. "Would you care to join us?" she asked.

"I think I will have to take a rain check on that" Harry said. It was at this point he made the mistake of looking down, and he caught a glimpse of Miriam's entrance. Whereas Hermione was hairless, Miriam had a thatch of golden curls and Susan had the same but in her normal hair colour of red. "I better get going" Harry said, but Susan asked him something with a serious look on her face.

"I want to tell everyone when I'm ready" she said, "So what are you going to tell Hannah?" the girl asked him.

"She sent me to find you for some reason" Harry said, "I'll think of something to tell her" and he left the room after telling the pair that he would set up some stronger wards for them – giving them the password. He cast a glamour charm on himself which made him look as if he wasn't carrying a tent pole around in his jeans. Harry made his way back to the dorms were he saw Hannah reading a book.

"Did you find Susan?" she asked him.

"Hmm? Oh yeah… miles away there" Harry said. "I was thinking about the wedding then – sorry. Yeah I found her in one of the larger DADA rooms" he said.

"What was she doing?" Hannah said.

"She was with someone else" Harry said. "She said she was trying to use someone's core against them" and Hannah reached for her wand which was on the coffee table in front of her.

"I wonder if I should give her some help" the girl mused.

"I wouldn't bother" said Harry, "From what I saw, Susan had it pretty much licked" and then he went up to his dorm, hopped into bed, closed the curtains, slapped half a dozen privacy charms around the whole thing and started to get rid of the bulge.

#

An orgasmic scream came from Miriam as Susan pushed her over the edge, and Susan sucked Miriam dry.

"That was amazing" she said, not a little out of breath. The fact that Harry had caught them at it had turned them both on somewhat more.

"You've lied to me" Susan said.

"What? How?" Miriam said.

"Christmas _does_ come more then once a year" Susan replied with a grin.

**A/N:**

**Never saw that coming did you? I had loads of people suggesting who it might be, but nobody guessed it would be Susan.**

**So, first up – the references:**

**1 – The **_**Blackbird**_**. This is a double reference. The first one is to the SR-71 Blackbird. It is also a reference to the Blackbird featured in several episodes of Battlestar Galactica.**

**2 – Professor Furlong. Named after the Submarauder who is a good friend of mine.**

**3 – Susan's comment about not being a lesbian, going over to Harry, saying she is bisexual and then kissing Harry is from the film "Dodgeball".**

**4 – The last line of the chapter is from the James Bond film "The World is Not Enough" (I know it sounds bad… but I just couldn't resist using it)**

**5 - Miriam Ivy Christmas Patterson is named after one of my best reviewers.**

**What can we expect in the next chapter? Well we have a wedding to happen, and we're all off to the island of Sodor for it! (I hinted at this in the previous chapter). Nearly all of the engines will be in attendance as wedding guests. If you thought that Chapters 9, 10, 11 and 13 had them travelling, Chapter 17 will have Harry and Hermione undertaking a tour de force of the entire island which means visiting the Mid Sodor Railway! (yes Thomas fans… we're off to see Skarloey, Rhenas, Peter Sam, Sir Handel, Duke, Rusty and all the others!) They may or may not visit Mavis as well. Why another visit to the Island of Sodor? Well it is my story, and so I'll write what I want. I'm not having people tell me that my story should be changed to suit their tastes. If you don't like it, then click the back button.**

**The character of Miriam Ivy Christmas Patterson will appear in other chapters from now on.**

**Interesting Note: Nearly all of my best ff friends on here feature in this chapter.**

**Well work has already started on the next chapter, so I'd best be getting on with it then.**

**Note: My fanfic update list on my homepage is now displaying which fanfic is being worked on, and which is the latest updates. (Does anyone actually look at that to check what I have coming?). If you look anytime in the 24 hours from this being posted, you'll see a clue to what I put at the end of chapter 38 of I'm Not Going… just to tease you all a little.**

**Reviews and PM's in the normal manner:**

**Regards,**

**Pixel**


	17. The Last Few Hours of Freedom

**The Last Few Hours of Freedom**

They arrived at the house with all their things, and Dobby and Winky took all the trunks to the various rooms. Once this was done though, one trunk remained in the living room and Dobby appeared in front of Harry.

"What does Harry Potter want Dobby to do with the last trunk?" asked the elf.

"Take it to Susan's room please" Harry said, and the elf did as he was told. Susan was puzzled as to what was in the trunk, but she caught the little wink that was in Harry's eye. He would have sworn that she flew upstairs leaving a puzzled Hannah behind her.

"You do know something, Harry" she said, "So what is it?" but Harry shook his head.

"That's for Susan to tell you" he said, and Harry went off to deal with a few minor details for the wedding. Hermione asked where he was going and Harry replied that he was going down to the station for a bit. Hermione got up and joined him for the bus ride into town, and they both went to the ticket office to announce themselves. The two of them talked for some time to The Fat Controller about many things, and he told them that Oliver was now back in working order and that he was working on Duck's branch line. Harry and Hermione were pleased and planned to visit him sometime during their time on the island. It was mid-afternoon by the time they left The Fat Controller's office, and as they left Harry whispered something in his ear to which the man nodded.

"Everything will be ready" he said assuredly. On the way back to Allcroft House, Hermione kept asking Harry what he had meant. Her fiancée had refused to answer her, saying only that he was sure she would like the surprise.

"You just concern yourself with planning your Hen Night" Harry told her, "Hello, Bertie" this was to the bright red bus that had pulled up.

"Hello" he said, "Driver says that he will have me ready…" Harry cut him off.

"Shush!" he said quickly, but this added more to Hermione's confusion. She spent the trip trying to figure everything out, but nothing seemed to make sense to her.

#

**Two Hours Before**

"What does Harry Potter want Dobby to do with the last trunk?" asked the elf.

"Take it to Susan's room please" Harry said, and the elf did as he was told. Susan was puzzled as to what was in the trunk, but she caught the little wink that was in Harry's eye. She ran up to her room, opened the door, closed it again and then went over to the trunk that sat in the middle of the space. Bending down, the red head undid the catch and then jumped back as the lid burst open and something came rushing out.

"SURPRISE!" said Miriam.

"Miri?" Susan was surprised. "How are you here?" and Miriam giggled at the question.

"Well I'm emancipated like Harry, so he asked if I would like to come along with you lot to wherever here is" said the girl.

"Well there's not enough rooms at the moment" Susan said, "I think you'll have to sleep with me… erm not in that sense though" she added quickly.

"I think that was Harry's plan" Miriam said, and she brushed some of her brown hair out of the way of her eyes. When Harry had… met her, the hair had been blonde all over. Miriam had quickly changed back to her normal brown colour as dyeing her pubic hairs blonde was a bit too much. Susan helped her out of the trunk and then got her stuff out.

"Looks a bit cramped in there" she said as she peered in.

"Not really" her companion said, "There was a nice armchair to sit in and I had a few books to read. All I had to do was wait until someone came to let me out, but there was no toilet in there. Can you point me to one?" and Susan pointed out her en-suite bathroom. She was not sure how long Miriam had been in the trunk for, but she was in the bathroom for nearly ten full minutes. When she came out, the pair sat on the bed and Susan was silent until she took a deep breath before speaking.

"I think its time we told Hannah about us" she said.

"I thought you was going to tell her" Miriam said.

"I was… but I couldn't really think of what to say. I had hoped that Harry could help, but if you're here now, then I suppose it is better for Hannah to meet you now" Susan said. She called for Winky and asked the elf to bring Hannah to her room, and the other former Hufflepuff looked at Miriam with some surprise.

"Not to be rude or anything, but who are you and what are you doing in Harry Potter's house?" Hannah asked.

"My name is Miriam Ivy Christmas Patterson" Miriam introduced herself, "Susan has told me a lot about you. Harry invited me to come over for his wedding" and Hannah raised an eyebrow.

"You know him?" she asked.

"We're intimately acquainted" Miriam replied, and she didn't know how she got the blush off her face.

"Well now that we know each other" Susan cut in, "There is something I need to tell you. I'm er… I'm…" Susan couldn't say it and Miriam gave her hand a squeeze. "I'm bisexual" Susan blurted out.

"So?" asked Hannah.

"You don't mind?" Susan said.

"Of course not" her friend told her, "I just wish you told me sooner" and Susan was glad that Hannah didn't mind her coming out. They all went downstairs where Miriam introduced herself to the others, and Susan told them about her preferences. None of the others seemed to mind either.

"You're bisexual?" asked Dean.

"Yeah" Susan said, and for some reason Dean broke into a grin.

"Good call" Seamus said, and handed his friend a handful of Galleons. It was some time later when Harry and Hermione came back.

#

**Present Time**

"We're back guys" Harry called.

"Someone else has arrived" Seamus called.

"Oh you've met Miriam?" Harry said.

"How does he do that?" Padma asked her sister. Harry couldn't read minds could he?

"No idea" the twin replied.

"I think you've got some last minute planning to do" Harry said, and the girls – now including Miriam – went off to plan for the wedding.

"So any ideas for your Stag?" Neville asked.

"Get drunk, drink some potions, get drunk some more and then find a decent takeaway" Harry said.

"Hermione is going to love the wedding" said Dean.

"And at least Dumbledore can't get his hands on her for Ron to… have" Harry murmered.

"What time are we setting off?" asked Neville.

"About half eight" Harry said after a moment's thought.

"Well that gives us twenty eight hours for Operation Get Harry Drunk" said Seamus, and he started plotting as only the Irish can plot a good stag night. Harry excused himself and went to his room – shortly to be shared with Hermione – and noticed something on the writing desk. When he went over to look at it, he saw it was his History homework. Dobby must have put it out for him. Harry wondered what they would think at Salem when he handed _this_ in.

#

_**Battle of Wolf 359**_

_**By**_

_**Harry James Potter**_

The Battle of Wolf 359 took place in the years 2366-67, and was fought between the Borg Collective and the United Federation of Planets. The attack cost the lives of over 11,000 crew members and civilians, and an unknown number of Borg Drones. The Federation assembled a fleet of nearly 40 ships and every one of them was destroyed. In addition to those ships lost, several vessel of the Mars Perimeter Defence were destroyed without firing a shot by the Borg Cube after the battle was over with.

_**Prelude**_

The Federation first encountered evidence of the Borg in the year 2364, when seven colonies on both the Federation and the Romulan side of the Romulan Neutral Zone were scooped from the ground. It was first thought that the Romulans – not seen for a number of decades – had attacked them, but the Romulans denied this as they had also had colonies attacked.

The next encounter was in the year 2365 when the omnipotent being Q took the USS Enterprise, under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, to System J-25. Upon arrival there, the hostess of the Ten-Forward lounge, a woman named Guinan made several requests to Picard that they leave at once of the nearest Starbase – a trip of over 18 years. Picard decided that as they were there, they should at least have a look at a nearby planetary system to gain some information about this unexplored system - before heading back to Federation space. Lt. Commander Data revealed that sensor readings showed that the planet had supported an advanced civilisation. It was shortly after this that the Enterprise encountered a cubed shaped vessel. After using Hit and Run tactics, 18 crewmembers had been killed when the Borg used both a cutting beam and a tractor beam to gain some of the Enterprise's hull. After launching another – this time unsuccessful – attack on the Borg cube, Captain Picard pleaded and begged Q to return them back to Federation space. Q remarked that any other man would not have asked for help, and then did as Picard requested. Enterprise went to Starbase 83 for repairs and overall, and the records of the encounter sent to Starfleet Command.

_**Pre-Battle**_

In late 2366, the colony of New Providence was "removed" from the surface of its planet, and it was confirmed that it was the work of the Borg. Admiral J.P. Hanson arrived to get first hand accounts of the devastation, and brought Lt Shelby from Starfleet Tactical with him. Shortly after Admiral Hanson left orbit, a federation supply ship was making a run when it reported that it was "…under attack by a cubed shaped vessel". The distress call was cut off, and the ship was not heard from afterwards. It is assumed that the ship was lost with all hands. From data transmitted by the vessel before it went silent, Starfleet established a possible location for the Cube, and Enterprise was dispatched to intercept it, and possibly either warn it off or destroy it. This did not work, and Enterprise – sustaining heavy damage to Engineering - was forced to take shelter in the Paulson nebula. The Enterprise's first officer, chief engineer and Lt Shelby – whom had remained on board – worked to try and come up with ideas on how to defeat the Borg. Captain Picard meanwhile ordered the ship to prepare for major combat, and ordered that a Saucer Separation be activated and placed on hold to allow the civilians on board chance to escape if need be.

The Borg drove the ship out by using magnetic charges, and the Enterprise was forced to make a run for it. After another battle, the Borg boarded the Enterprise and took Picard by force. An Away Team sent over to the Borg Cube discovered that Picard had been turned into a member of the collective. When the Borg showed signs of escaping, Riker sent a boarding party over to drop them out of Warp. The party was returned to the ship and Enterprise used the main deflector as a weapon. The Borg had adapted by using Picard's memory of the meeting where the plan to use such an attack was discussed, and Enterprise was without Warp Drive for several hours. Admiral Hanson promoted Riker to Captain, and gave him the Enterprise to command – Shelby became his first officer. At the same time, Hanson informed Riker that he was assembling a fleet at Wolf 359 comprised of almost 40 starships. The Klingons had been contacted and would send a few ships, and even the Romulans had been considered.

_**Battle**_

The following ships – listed by category – present at Wolf 359 included: **Miranda Class** _USS Saratoga, USS Reliant_ and the_ USS Hoagland_. **Excelsior Class:** _USS Melbourne, USS Roosevelt _and other members of the class. **Nebula Class: **_USS Melbourne, USS Bellerophon, USS Endeavour_ and many other ships. It is interesting to note that two _Melbourne_'s participated at the battle. This was because the Nebula class ship had only just been completed, and not all systems were operational. Starfleet also, in desperate need of ships, called up the _USS Republic_ which was a Constitution class vessel – a training ship - and pressed that into service. The _Republic_ had not travelled more then four light years distance in over sixty years. The _USS Eagle_ - another Constitution class vessel - was taken from the Fleet Museum and manned by a skeleton crew of Cadets who joined the battle fleet. While _Eagle_ and _Republic_ were old ships – over 100 years old apiece – they battled with distinction. (Many survivors reported that the two Constitution vessels were amongst the last to be destroyed).

The battle commenced when the _Enterprise_ was still under repair, and several ships were destroyed in the opening wave. The first ship to be attacked was the Excelsior _Melbourne_ which had most of the primary hull destroyed, and it spun away with heavy damage. Many Orbeth class ships bravely attacked at this point, but all were lost within a matter of seconds – though one managed to limp on for sometime. The _Saratoga_ was held in a tractor beam and was fired upon until its shield failed. The Borg then used a cutting beam to slice in her hull, causing major damage on all decks and making the warp drive go critical. With the death of the ship's captain, first officer Commander Benjamin Sisko assumed command and ordered the crew to abandon ship. (It is interesting to note that the Borg did not attack the escape pods for _Saratoga_ nor any of the other ships). Whilst the _Saratoga_ was under attack, several ships were ordered to attack the tractor beam's emitter so that the vessel might escape. All five ships were destroyed with loss of most of their crews. Admiral Hanson, aboard his Galaxy Class flagship, contacted the _Enterprise_ and informed them that the battle did not go well and that he was instructing a withdrawal and ordered _Enterprise_ to regroup with the fleet at a location that he did not manage to mention as the signal was cut off, and no further messages were received from her. It is presumed that Hanson's ship was lost with all hands. Knowing that Enterprise was on its way to assist, and with the Admiral's ship destroyed, the other ships pressed home the attack in hopes that any damage made would be enough to slow the Cube down. The delaying action did work slightly, but it was no good. By the end of the battle, all 39 ships had been lost for very little damage to the Cube. Any damage sustained was repaired in next to no time. Upon conclusion of the battle, the cube resumed its journey on a direct course for Earth leaving behind shattered starships and thousands of dead and wounded in escape pods or crippled ships.

_**Aftermath**_

After making emergency repairs, the _Enterprise_ proceeded at maximum warp to Wolf 359, but upon arrival it found a graveyard of ships burning in space. Scans of the system revealed that no subspace emissions or active warp drives could be detected. (It could be thought that the survivors, unaware of _Enterprise_'s arrival, either reduced power to a non detectable level or otherwise masked their power signatures). The _Enterprise_ slowly made its way through the debris field and passed close to the Nebula class _Melbourne_ which Riker had been due to assume command of only a few days before. _Enterprise_ went through the ships and then continued pursuit of the cube. It eventually destroyed the cube after rescuing Captain Picard, and during testing of the Borgified Picard managed to say the simple message of "Sleep". Lt Commander Data understood this to be an instruction to trick the Borg into believing it was time for their regeneration cycle to begin. This was a stroke of good luck for the crew as Riker had ordered a ramming course set at maximum warp towards the Borg Cube thinking that if they would die, they would take the Borg with them. After little more then a few minutes, the Borg power system went into overdrive and exploded causing the loss of the Cube. _Enterprise_ warped away from the detonation, but was knocked out of warp by the sheer force of the explosion. The crew of the _Enterprise_ sent a message to Starfleet Command who dispatched rescue ships to pick up survivors from the escape pods and those trapped aboard their shattered starships. _Enterprise _limped on little more then half impulse to Earth Station McKinnley where it underwent a full repair, refit and upgrade to nearly every system while the crew where given shore leave. It took years before Starfleet was able to get back to its pre Wolf 359 levels.

The fleet remains are still at Wolf 359 to this day

_**Conclusion**_

The Federation were not prepared for such an attack, and the varying ships reflected this. Even with several hours notice, Starfleet was unable to get more then a handful of heavy cruisers such as the Excelsior class together. As a result of this, ships not designed for battle became part of the fleet such as the Orbeth class ships, and the Apollo class scouts. Many ships sailed into battle with very little combat experience as Starfleet had not fought a major engagement in decades, though it is doubtful if this would have proved to be of any use. After Wolf 359 took place, production took place of the Defiant class "Escort" ship – the term escort being a lightly veiled cover for the term Warship – to combat the Borg should another attack take place. As of writing, the prototype ship, _USS Defiant_ is currently stationed at Deep Space Nine.

One reason why the death toll was so high was because of the fact many ships went into battle with civilians still on board. With very little time to do anything most ships carried them to the battle site, where some of them offloaded as many as possible into shuttles and headed away from the battle. When investigation of the site began, it was discovered that shuttles full of civilians were amongst the destroyed ships, and this indicates that some choose to return to fight alongside the starships. Any effect this may have had would have been negligible. All personal – Starfleet or civilian – were awarded the highest medals of honour for their actions.

_**Result**_

Although the Borg were later stopped by the _USS Enterprise_ in Earth orbit, the Battle was a complete disaster for the Federation, and it would leave it dangerously short of ships for years afterwards. To this day, The Battle of Wolf 359 remains the single biggest loss of life the Federation has ever endured.

_The End_

#

Harry would just have to hand it in when he got back to Salem. While he was aware that the teacher had talked about historical battles, she had not mentioned the fact it had to have _really_ happened. At the very least, he might get points for originality! He heard someone creeping up on him, and he spun round to see Hermione with a blush on her face.

"I thought I had you that time" she said. "So what are you looking at?" and Hermione looked at Harry's assignment and sighed. "There is no way you can do a Star Trek battle" she said.

"Why not?" Harry complained, "Nobody told me it had to be real" and Hermione shook her head with a grin. "So what can I do for you?" he asked.

"Well someone is getting married, so I thought I'd come up and see if you knew what to do on your wedding night" his wife to be said.

"Ah well…" Harry faked not knowing, "I think I might need a refresher course" and the door with a flick of Harry's hand.

#

Even through three floors, the others downstairs could hear the bedsprings begin to squeak louder and louder. Dean managed to last a good ten seconds before he jumped up, and picked up his wand.

"I'm going to find myself a decent hot curry" he said, and he went out with Seamus, Luna and Neville close behind him. Thirty seconds in, and Hannah, Susan and Miriam decided to go out into the garden as they couldn't stand it. After taking a full two minutes of the Ballad of Bouncing Bed Springs, Padma, Parvati and Lavender decided to go for a long walk – casting warming charms on themselves first due to the cold that had set in. They had heard on the radio it would be snowing in a few hours time, and so they turned the walk into a shopping trip. Harry had given Dobby and Winky some time off over the holidays, so it would be a combination of all of them making Christmas Day dinner. The entire day will be filled with present opening, feasting, drinking and playing games, and it would only stop when the Queen's Speech came on the TV.

#

**The Island of Curry**

**(Sodor's only curry house)**

"I'm glad I remembered this place" said Dean. The four of them sat at a table with huge dishes of curry in front of them.

"Don't tell him I said this, but I think Dobby couldn't beat this" Neville was enjoying his first proper curry. The Patil twins had claimed they could make a curry so hot it could be used to melt steel. Harry had decided to take them up on this and therefore was having a full kitchen put into their suite.

"And muggles eat this stuff?" Luna said.

"Quite a lot do" said Seamus, "And this place does a bloody mean one" and he took several mouthfuls.

"Well it is very enjoyable" Luna said. As they ate, they talked about the wedding that would be in a matter of a day and a bit. Luna and Neville couldn't get enough of their meals though, and so a full second meal was ordered. They waited until it was cooked, and then all four ate everything that was in front of them. Curry, rice, chips and popperdoms– everything was devoured. As they slipped their beers (Harry had provided fake ID for them), Seamus wondered when Harry and Hermione would stop making out. Their American friends used the system of baseball – 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Home Run.

"If the other week was anything to go by, then we've got another hour to wait" Dean said and he looked at his watch.

"What time is it?" asked Neville.

"Nearly half five" came the reply.

"Well we've enough time for another, yes?" Luna said. Dean wondered about if he had got Luna addicted to curry. Was there a Curry Anonymous?

"We've got to go" said Seamus, catching the look on his friend's face. When Luna got up, she started to fall to the ground and Neville only just caught her in time.

"Try not to get your feet tangled up in the chair" he said. This would be the last time for a while that Luna had a beer. Now the tree knew why she wanting more curry – Luna Lovegood had the munchies.

#

Most of the friends had ended up in the living room watching TV. Luna was in the downstairs toilet praying to the porcelain god. She would have a small – VERY SMALL – glass of champagne at the wedding for the sake of decorum, but apart from that, Luna promised to not touch another drop until she was at least 17. The poor girl had been in the toilet for a full hour before she came out on her hands and knees, and she begged one of them to levitate her to her room. Lavender did it and took up some potions that would help her recover.

"At least she won't have a hangover in the morning" Harry said chuckling.

"I hope they have enough soft drinks on this island for Luna" Hannah said.

"Out of curiosity" Hermione said, "How many did she have?" and Dean grinned.

"One" he replied.

"She can't be…" Hermione was cut off by Seamus.

"As well as the other three" the boy grinned.

"Better give her some more potions" Susan smirked. They talked for a while until they decided to get some dinner, but nobody really knew what to eat. Dean, Seamus and Neville said they would get something much later as they remained full from the curries. After eating, Harry and Hermione went to sit out in the back garden where they snuggled together and watched the sun setting over the island.

"I never ever thought I would meet a person who would love me as much as you do, Harry" Hermione said quietly.

"Well I didn't have much of a happy family growing up, but I promise to be a good husband" Harry said. Hermione smiled at his promise, and she kissed him on the lips. This kiss turned into something more, and Hermione closed her eyes in pleasure.

"I love you" she whispered. Harry was about to reply in kind when he saw that the garden in front of them was rippling slightly. He blinked and sure enough the view was shimmering, and it was not because of the warmth – this being winter after all.

"Keep kissing me" Harry said in a low whisper, "And let my hand go where it wants" and Hermione knew that something was wrong. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him in so she could battle with his tongue. While this was going on, one of Harry's hands slowly drifted down to hidden side of Hermione, and removed her wand.

"Harry?" Hermione said.

"_EXPELLIARMUS!_" Harry bellowed, and a beam of red light hit the centre of the ripples. There was a yelp and a thud as something hit the ground, and both teens saw Neville lying on the ground stunned. The Blackbird sat a few feet away from him on the grass. In Neville's hands sat a camera, and Harry and Hermione got the idea of what was going on. Neville had used the Blackbird to take a picture of them kissing, but he hadn't thought about Harry's keen sense of what was going on around him. Hermione revived him and gave him a warning about trying to trick them with the Blackbird again, and the boy ran off back to the house as fast as he could.

"I don't think he'll try that again" Hermione giggled.

"No" said Harry, "Now where were we?" and he cast a disillusionment charm on themselves.

#

Hermione looked at her bedroom clock, noted the time and sighed to herself. In just over a day's time, she would be getting married to Harry. Hermione being Hermione, she had read books on sex tips, and understood that it would be painful the first time Harry entered her. If someone had asked her about it, Hermione would reply with something like she didn't mind as long as it was with Harry. With one last look at the clock, Hermione closed her eyes and went to sleep.

#

Harry fell to sleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. While most people would think about their wife to be, Harry was in his special place. He was never able to work out why, but it was always a large grassy field, a warm sun, and a big and encompassing duvet. The thought of that woke him up, and he rolled his head over to look at the time. When he saw it was almost 3:40, he decided to go to sleep again.

#

The Patil twins lay in their beds thinking about their father. He had cut them off from the family, and all attempts to contact him or their mother had been rejected. This made them sad because Christmas was a time for family. While it was true that Harry had said he would look after them both, both girls knew they had to repay him in a manner. Under normal conditions, the pair would give themselves to Harry as love slaves, but they knew Harry was against that sort of thing. Each girl decided to pay Harry back for everything he had spent on them.

#

Lavender was fast asleep

#

So were Hannah, Dean, Neville and Seamus

#

Miriam and Susan were not

#

Luna was being sick

#

The murders happened quickly.

**A/N:**

**Well there are two Star Trek References here. One is the Battle of Wolf 359. I have taken a few liberties with the actual battle, but then again – nothing has been determined for fact. The other is from Star Trek III: The Search For Spock. You clue (for those who have seen the film) is when how Kirk and Sulu spot the cloaked Bird of Prey. Spot where it is in this chapter!**

**So… they've arrived at the Island of Sodor, set about final preparations for the wedding, and a nasty death for someone.**

**Special Mention: Me, for writing this fic.**

**Hope you like the cliffie, and would like to see your thoughts on what might have happened.**

**Regards:**

**Pixel**


	18. Assassination

**Assassination Attempt**

_HEALER! I NEED A FUCKING HEALER HERE NOW! GET ME A GOD DAMNED HEALER!_

_There aren't any here_

_I DON'T CARE! GET ME A GOD DAMNED HEALER!_

_We're losing her – she's bleeding too much…_

_SAVE HER! SHE CAN'T DIE!_

**(28 Hours – And Counting)**

Harry woke, showered, dressed and headed down for breakfast. He could smell the fact that somebody was manning the kitchen, and he found Dean and Seamus manning the cooker frying sausages, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, more sausages, more bacon, hash browns and bread.

"Morning" Dean said, and filled up a plate of food for Harry. They knew how much Harry loved food – coming from not getting any while at the Dursleys – and so they always ensured he had loads to eat. This resulted in Harry making comments about only want one wife – not another two. In his heart though, he could never be angry at them as they only tried to look after him. It was all that they could do after everything he had done.

"Cheers" Harry said, and tore into the plate before him. Neville joined them shortly afterwards, and they ate while listening to the news stories over the radio. After they had finished, they all cleared up before heading off to prepare for the wedding the next day. As Harry was out of the loop until the evening, he sat around and wondered what he could do. As he flicked through the paper that someone had purchased, he heard the whistle of a steam engine. Going up stairs to his trunk, he pulled out his oily overalls put them on, and apperated to the toilets of that station. Harry wasn't supposed to apperate at all, but the Ministry only detected the departure and not the end arrival point. And Allcroft House was warded against magical detection anyway. He left and headed up to the offices and checked in with the station master, only to find The Fat Controller coming out of the offices.

"Ah" he said when he saw Harry, "What are you doing here?" the man asked.

"Well I've nothing to do until this evening so I thought that I could come down here and help out a bit" Harry said.

"You've come just in time. Some freight needs to be collected from the mainland, and Thomas should have been off to collect it. His driver and fireman though are on holiday so I was going to drive him myself. I was just going to see if there was a fireman around" The Fat Controller said.

"I'll fire for you" Harry said at once. And they went off to the sheds where Thomas was sitting in the morning sunshine. His smart blue paint looked lovely, and his brass shone like new. Steam came from his pipes, and a faint trial of smoke came from his funnel. It looked as if Thomas was the spare engine today, as Harry could see James and Percy asleep in the shed.

"Hello, sir" Thomas greeted the Fat Controller. "Hello, Harry. I would have replied to your letter, only I had no arms to hold a pencil with" and Harry smiled.

"You just remember the three R's" he told the engine.

"I will be Responsible, Reliable and Right on Time" Thomas chuckled.

"You are a cheeky little engine" The Fat Controller said as he climbed into the cab.

"I might be cheeky, but at least I know Harry is a human" Thomas called back, and then put on a passable impression of The Fat Controller. "Thomas and Gordon will be repaired, and everyone who was involved will get a new coat of paint" and the Fat Controller shook his head.

"Ah yes, there was that. That is my normal reward for good work – I simply am not used to things other then engines" he said, and after glancing at the gauges they set off for the main line. Harry put plenty of coal into Thomas's firebox and The Fat Controller gave Thomas his head, and the engine fairly rocketed along the line at slightly over his top speed. They had to stop at Crovan's Gate so that Thomas could have a rest and take on water. Harry and the Fat Conroller hander over to a shunter crew who attended to Thomas while they had a mug of tea.

"You should do this more often" Harry said.

"I know, I know. But there are always things that stop me from being on the footplate. I'm a railway man – not a damned secretary" the other man said. They finished their teas, and then went off back to a refreshed Thomas.

"Signalman says the line is clear between here and Vicarstown" said the shunter. Harry thanked the man and then climbed into the cab.

"Lets go!" Thomas said, and go they did! As they passed through the countryside, Harry started humming a tune.

"Dum dum dum dum der dum dum dummmmm. Derrrrrrrrrrr dum dum dum der dum"

#

_I NEED A HEALER HERE QUICKLY!_

_We'll take her to St Mungos_

_NO YOU WON'T! TAKE HER TO SALEM! I TRUST THEM BETTER THEN ANY OF YOUR LACKEYS!_

(**25 ½ Hours To Go)**

#

"I'm getting married tomorrow to Harry" said Hermione, "I just can't believe it! Never in…" she was cut off.

"… in my wildest dreams" the others finished for her.

"I'm so nervous" Hermione said.

"There is no need to be" said Hannah.

"I know that, but what if something happens?" asked the bride to be.

"Who do you mean?" asked Lavender. "Dumbledore or You-Know-Who?" and the question was valid enough. Either one of them could attack Harry and Hermione's wedding – though this was remote from the side of Voldemort. He was not likely to start another attack so soon after the one against them, but if he was then Christmas would be the perfect time to do it. As far as the group knew, Dumbledore didn't know where they where.

"Forget this" Padma said cheerfully, "How about we just simply forget this, and start the hen night early?" she suggested. They all went upstairs and changed into pyjamas and slippers, and then came back down again to start on the movies.

"What shall we go for first?" asked Susan.

"Sister Act" said Hermione, and Susan loaded the video into the machine and hit the play button. When it go to the end with them all singing, Hermione wondered if Harry had arranged for them to be at the wedding tomorrow.

"Totally great" said Parvati. She had found herself humming along to most of the songs. They watched more films and ate more chocolate until Hannah glanced at the clock.

"Time we got ready" she said, jumping up and clearing the mess with a wave of her wand.

"Get the war paint on girls" said Lavender, and then they attempted to drag Hermione up the stairs to get ready. When she protested, Luna simply relieved Hannah of her wand and then stunned the bushy haired teen.

"Magic" Luna said with an air of authority, "I Loooove it" and then handed the wand back.

#

_I am afraid that we lost her twice. She is on life support at the moment, and that seems to be keeping her steady at the moment. Once I am happy about her life signs, then I will try to operate and remove the bullet._

_I don't care how much time it takes or how much money it costs, I want you to save Hermione. If there isn't a chance at all of saving her, then I will… will…_

_Right. But understand though that I have never tried it so far inside a body before, and never this close to the spinal vord._

"_I understand. Like I said, money is no object for Hermione. If you need some drugs that are illegal, then they will get to here in an instant._

_Well I'll start in several hours – all things being equal._

_Thank you… one more thing. Is there anyone that you would want with you while performing this operation? No matter where in the world they are, I will have them here within the hour._

_If I can choose who I'd like as assistants, then I thank you. The only two people I would trust with helping me in this kind of operation would be Dr Christine Chapel, and Dr M'Benga._

_I'll have Dobby collect them and their equipment._

(**18 Hours To Go**)

#

Harry finished helping out on the railway, and he headed back to the mess for a well earned cup of tea – sprinkled with some soot of course. While he was there talking to some of the crews, Dean arrived with a change of clothes for him and he went to the next room and did a quick magical clean up and change. While this was outside the warded area of his house on the island, Harry assumed that Dumbledore and the Ministry would miss a quick burst of magic if they had any trace on him. Bidding his fellow engine men goodbye, he followed Dean out to the waiting car out the front.

"How the hell did you get a car?" Harry asked.

"We're not driving this, this is just to get you to base camp" Dean replied, and he pointed to the driver. "We are picking up the transport for tonight there" and Harry shrugged and got into the Austin Maestro.

#

"A Challenger tank is _not_ transport – it is _overkill_!" Harry said, and he shook his head. "Tell me the main gun is deactivated" he pleased.

"Ron Weasley's socks are a bigger threat then Jasmina" Seamus said.

"You've named it?" Harry let one eyebrow go higher then the other.

"Just kidding" Neville laughed. "No we've got ourselves a limo" and he pointed to the car that was partly hidden by the tank. It was a stretch limo and was very spacious inside. When Harry glanced around the interior, he could see bottles and cans of beer. Even though only Harry could drink – and that was by a long shot – the others intended to give Harry the stag night to end _all_ stag nights. It did help that Neville had brought along some potions that may be of some use afterward though.

#

**Hogwarts**

"They are certain it was him?" asked the man.

"It would have gone unseen if the woman hadn't been checking it by hand" said his boss.

"Tell Tonks that she owes me" said the first, and he patted a large rifle next to him.

"Thank you" said Dumbledore.

#

The two different parties called at every pub and bar on the Island of Sodor, but arrangements had been made so that neither party would meet to other. Nobody wanted bad luck for the wedding after all, so it was all planned out. What neither group knew was that Dumbledore's agent was on the island and had located the best position to take the shot. It was easy enough for him to set the gun up, and he hoped that everything went to plan. Then everything that was owed to him would be given to Remus J Lupin.

#

_I'm Sorry…_

(** 0 Hours, 0 Minutes and 0 Seconds**)

Hermione stepped out of Bertie The Bus and was escorted into the station by The Fat Controller, and this was the cue for the engines to start. Harry had been carefully coaching them in playing _Here Comes The Bride_ using their whistles. Hermione shook her head as she headed up to the little stage that was set up on the island platforms. Apart from their friends, Harry and Hermione had invited several of the engine's crews as well as a number of the engines. Oliver was also present, though he was still a little uneasy on certain days and was currently missing his siderods. The Fat Controller had sent him to the works, but Oliver had managed to creep into Knapford. The only non steam engine present was BoCo who had limped in on engine only. He wasn't going to miss a good wedding after all. Hermione glided into place next to Harry as they stood in front of a thin clergyman.

"Dearly beloved" he began, "We are gathered here in the sight of god to witness the marriage the marriage of Harry James Potter to Hermione Jane Granger. If anyone objects, then speak now or forever hold your piece the clergyman said.

#

Lupin looked through the sights of the sniper rifle, and listened in to the service through the listening charm he had placed on the station the day before. He just had to wait for the right time.

#

A few songs later – one of which was an epic rendition of _Brown Eyed Girl_ performed by Gordon and backed up by Thomas, Percy and James. Nobody was certain where they had learned the song as it wasn't one which Harry had taught them. Sir Topham Hatt made it a point to ask later.

"Ah…" sighed The Thin Clergyman, "It has been a while" and he shook his head before continuing with the service. "Do you, Harry James Potter take Hermione Jane Granger to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love, honour and cherish? For richer and for poorer? And forsaking all others, keep yourself only for her so long as you both shall live?" and Harry nodded.

"I do" he spoke.

"And do you, Hermione Jane Granger, take this man, Harry James Potter to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love, honour and cherish? For richer and for poorer? And forsaking all others, keep yourself only for her so long as you both shall live?" the clergyman asked Hermione.

#

Lupin's finger tightened over the trigger. All it needed now was for a slight squeeze and that would be the end of any happiness in Harry's life for a long long time.

#

"I do" said Hermione. They swapped rings and then the Thin Clergyman finished the service.

"By the power in vested in me by God, I now pronounce you man and wife" he said.

BANG

Harry's head snapped round towards the sound, but could see nothing but the station and the buildings in the town. Everyone else had jumped at the sound, but assumed it was something being dropped outside the station. As he was about to kiss Hermione, he noticed that there was some kind of red substance coming out of her mouth. Harry stared as she looked down at the rapidly spreading stain that was on her wedding dress, and then she looked up at Harry.

"I… I've been shot" and then she coughed up a lot of blood before collapsing to the ground. Harry saw her fall and rushed to her side while the other magical people withdrew wands and assumed an aggressive defence posture. Several of the drivers ran to the engines – some not their normal ones – and pulled them forward to block the view.

"HEALER! I NEED A FUCKING HEALER HERE NOW! GET ME A GOD DAMNED HEALER!" Harry was yelling as he held Hermione. "Hang on Hermione… please hang on…" Harry sobbed as he held onto Hermione's lifeless body. Neville ran over and performed a diagnostic spell on Hermione.

"There aren't any here" he said as the spell was completed.

"I DON'T CARE! GET ME A GOD DAMNED HEALER!" Harry yelled at him in anger.

"We're losing her – she's bleeding too much…" Neville said in a mournful voice.

"SAVE HER! SHE CAN'T DIE!" Harry yelled – hot tears running down his face. He then continued to keep whispering to Hermione.

"Somebody go to my office, and then order the line to be cleared between here and Wellsworth. This is an order directly from me and can not be overridden" said The Fat Controller. He turned to look at Gordon and his crew. "Get this girl to Wellsworth now" he ordered and they nodded.

Gordon's driver grabbed the shovel from Thomas's cab and then helped his own fireman to get as much steam up as possible in the shortest time. With Harry remaining by her side, Hermione was levitated into the air and placed in the coach. Without the customary guards whistle, Gordon pulled out of Knapford and rushed on his emergency mission to the main hospital at Wellsworth. Neville was with them and he cast a spell on Hermione which slowed down the rate of blood loss, but it still poured out of her in pools onto the carriage floor. In Gordon's cab, the driver put the regulator as far as it would go and then helped to shovel coal into the firebox. Gordon went faster and faster as tried to get to Wellsworth before it was too late, and as he was doing so his safety valve burst. Pain flooded his entire being, but he ignored the pain as he slowly became damaged. He went faster and faster – nearly beating his cousin Mallard's top recorded speed. When he was still over ten miles away, Gordon felt his bears start to go.

"Must save Hermione… Must save Hermione…" he grimaced through the pain. His driver slammed the brakes on and they screamed into Wellsworth station which screeching brakes and piercing whistling. An ambulance was waiting for them, and Hermione was stretchered off the carriage and loaded into the waiting vehicle. All this happened so fast that Harry had no time to react. In fact Harry was still in the carriage and looking at the blood on his clothes, on his hands and on the floor of the carriage. Neville got Harry to his feet and then with a quick cleaning charm to his friend, they left to find a way to the hospital.

#

Lupin arrived back at the same point he had set off a few days before. He had watched the scene of drama unfold, and was sure he had killed Hermione. Now Harry would be forced to put himself under Dumbledore's guidance to stop any more of his friends dying.

"I see you got here safely" Dumbledore said as he came into his office.

"The mission was successful" Lupin reported, "And I destroyed the weapon" he added.

"Good" smiled Dumbledore. "Now we will simply wait for Harry to see what he must do. We have detected use of his wand, and so Aurors have been despatched to bring him back to us" and he opened a bottle of Firewhiskey and shared a glass with Lupin.

#

While this was going on, Snape heard every word that had been spoken. There was nothing he could do to expose the pair, but there was something he could do. Knowing that Harry would have Hermione taken to Salem as soon as possible, he returned to his potions lab where he got the most powerful ones he had in stock and put them in a box.

_Harry Potter_

_These potions will save the life of your wife._

_Signed_

_A Friend_

He slipped the note inside, and he sent it off by Owl to Salem.

#

The Aurors arrived in under ten minutes, and they had started a shouting match with Harry. They had orders to bring him back to Dumbledore at once, but Harry and Neville refused to allow anything of the sort.

"We'll take her to St Mungos

"NO YOU WON'T! TAKE HER TO SALEM! I TRUST THEM BETTER THEN ANY OF YOUR LACKEYS!" Harry yelled, and he took hold of Hermione's hand and apperated on the spot. Neville followed shortly afterwards to Allcroft House and informed the others that it was no longer safe to be here. One by one they all packed up their stuff by magical means and left by portkey. The Aurors had been forced to wipe the memories of many of the hospital staff before leaving for the Ministry.

#

The sound of the wards being broken caused Jackson and Dorn to run to the hospital wing. They stood shocked as they saw Harry and Hermione there – Hermione on a bed. What horrified them was the fact that both teens had blood on their wedding clothes. A few seconds of looking informed them of the fact Hermione was wounded and seriously so. McCoy could be seen working on Hermione in the wing's muggle section. If Harry was aware of the presence of either Jackson of Dorn he didn't give any indication. They went away again as they knew that it was a bad thing to upset Harry James Potter.

#

"I am afraid that we lost her twice. She is on life support at the moment, and that seems to be keeping her steady at the moment. Once I am happy about her life signs, then I will try to operate and remove the bullet" McCoy looked at Harry with a tired expression and blood stained hands. It was only the fact that Harry had appeared next to the muggle hospital equipment that had saved Hermione's life. While he had been listening to McCoy, Harry wondered who in the magical world would use a sniper rifle to attack and try to kill Hermione.

"I don't care how much time it takes or how much money it costs, I want you to save Hermione. If there isn't a chance at all of saving her, then I will… will…" Harry couldn't finish the sentence.

"Right. But understand though that I have never tried to remove a bullet successfully this close to the spinal cord before" the veteran doctor said.

"I understand. Like I said, money is no object for Hermione. If you need some drugs – even those that are illegal - then they will get to here in an instant" Harry said, looking at Hermione whose wedding dress had been torn off in the battle to save her life.

"Well I'll start in several hours – all things being equal" McCoy said to Harry.

"Thank you… one more thing. Is there anyone that you would want with you while performing this operation? No matter where in the world they are, I will have them here within minutes"

"If I can choose who I'd like as assistants, then I thank you. The only two people I would trust with helping me in this kind of operation would be Dr Christine Chapel, and Dr M'Benga" McCoy replied

"I'll have Dobby collect them and their equipment" Harry said, and he called for his elf who appeared after a short delay – he had been on holiday after all.

"Dobby is nee…" the elf shut up as he saw Hermione hooked up to so much equipment. Harry gave Dobby his orders, and within minutes two people had appeared in the hospital wing at Salem. They saw McCoy and he informed them of what had happened, and then they went straight to work. As he sat there and watched what was going on, Harry very faintly heard the sound of his friends coming in. Knowing that a clean and sterile surrounding was required, Harry left the bed he was sitting on, and went over to them. Without a word, they escorted him to their rooms where they waited for news.

**A/N:**

**Oh dear… whatever have I done? (grins)**

**So Dumbledore has ordered an assassination to take place using muggle means, Hermione is close to death, Gordon needs new parts to get fixed after that high speed dash and someone has stolen all of my cheese. (Really mad at my little brother for that. Anyone mind if I sent him to Azkaban for that crime?)**

**Not sure yet if Hermione lives or dies…**

**Well I hope you all liked this chapter, and I am going to simply say that if some people don't get who the other medical people are, then you must punish yourselves Dobby style! If anyone gets the tune that Thomas is humming, then award yourself a plate of biscuits and milk.**

**Quick Note: I updated Harry Potter True Friends 2 last night, but only two people reviewed. Pixel is most displeased, but will forgive you if you review. Failure to do so will result in my use of **_**Crucio**_** on you all!**

**Reviews and PM's in the normal manner**

**Regards**

**Pixel**

**The One True God Of Fanfiction**


	19. Death Of An Angel

**Death Of An Angel**

They led him to the suite and sat him on the sofa, but Harry said not a word to them whatsoever. All he did was to look at the blood that stained his hands and his suit. Even though Neville and cleaned it off for him back on the carriage, fresh amounts of it had come from when Hermione was at Wellsworth hospital, and from when he had forcibly apperated to Salem. It was not entirely sure how that had happened, but the wards had all but vanished from around the grounds. It was only the muggle repelling charm that kept the place safe.

"How long do you think it will take?" asked Dean.

"I don't know" replied Seamus, "I really don't know" and he shook his head. "I don't even know if Hermione can survive this" the Irishman added.

"What do you mean?" asked Luna.

"You saw how much blood came out of Hermione" said Lavender, tears running down her face. "I doubt there is enough Blood Replenishment in the world to replace what was lost" and they knew what that meant.

"I'm going to take a shower" Harry said at last. He got up and went into the downstairs bathroom, and they watched as he vanished behind the door.

"If she dies" said Padma, breaking the silence, "Then you will not be able to stop him from getting revenge. Not even if you added each and every witch and wizard to the battle" and her twin agreed.

"I'll happily give up my life if it was to save Hermione's" Parvati said. They sat in their wedding clothes as they waited silently for news, and it was an hour before any of the group spoke.

"Harry hasn't come out of there has he?" asked Miriam.

"No… he hasn't" Hannah remarked, and she got up and went over to the bathroom door. She pressed her ear to the wooden panels, and pulled away as if she had been burned. "_Alohamora_" said the witch, and the door didn't open. Raising an eyebrow to the others, she tried the door which swung wide open. Harry hadn't locked it at all. Steam came from the bathroom and poured into the living room, and Hannah looked back at the rest. They could all hear the sobbing that came out the bathroom, and the boys went in found Harry in a ball in the shower. The shower was on and spilling out water onto Harry. His clothes had become wet and nearly ruined, and the blood stains had turned from red to lobster pink.

"Shit" muttered Neville. While Seamus turned off the shower, Neville bent down and tried to get some response out of a sobbing and soaking Harry. "Harry? Harry mate? Can you hear me? We better get you into dry clothing. Harry?" but no sign of understanding was made. Harry continued to be in a tight ball and sob his heart out, and Neville was forced to be heavy handed. "_Stupefy_" and Harry keeled over with the effects of being stunned. With the help of the other boys, they stripped Harry out of all the wet clothes, conjured pyjamas and then levitated him out the bathroom and up to the boys dorm. As they came past them, the girls all lost the colour in the faces as they saw how red Harry's eyes were.

#

_Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep_

#

"I bring this meeting to order" said Dumbledore. Everyone quietened down as they listened to what he had to say. "A few hours ago, Remus used muggle weapons to attack Hermione Granger. While he was not able to say if he killed her, he has told me that she was losing a lot of from the wound" and several people smirked and smiled at the news.

"Didn't think you had it in you" Snape said to Lupin.

"Anything for the greater good" he replied.

"What happened when the Aurors got dispatched?" asked Tonks. "All I know is that they looked very pissed off when they got back to the Ministry" and Dumbledore nodded.

"They were unable to retrieve the boy, and had to alter memories before they escaped a muggle hospital" Dumbledore informed them. "From what I was told by them, they seemed certain that Miss Granger will be dead shortly. Harry will see what has happened, and come to the Order" and Mrs Weasley spoke for the first and only time in the meeting.

"What about the other deaths?" she asked.

"The work of muggle thieves" Dumbledore said, and then the meeting went on to talk about the few hit and run tactics that Voldemort was now employing.

#

_Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep_

#

Harry was able to break out of the stunner enhanced sleep, and he went over the attack in his mind. If only he could have done something to help Hermione, but deep down he knew she was in some of the best possible hands. Harry dressed himself and went downstairs where he found some of the others looking at him with surprised looks. Not everyone was there – Susan, Dean and Luna were not present, and Harry assumed they were keeping a watch on Hermione while he was sleeping off the stunner.

"How…" his voice sounded scratchy, "How long?" he asked.

"You've been out for over five hours" Neville said. "Sorry I stunned you, but it was the only way to help" and Harry nodded blankly.

"Have they finished yet?" he asked.

"No" Hannah said, "I've never seen anything like it" she added.

"I wasn't able to hear much, but it seems as if Hermione's internal organs are in a bad way" Seamus put in.

"I think they want to repair that damage before attempting to remove the bullet" said Neville.

"I better go and see her" but Hannah stopped him with a gentle tug on his arm.

"They don't want an accidental magic reaction to upset any of the machines" she told him. Harry stopped his stride and stared at her before slamming into an armchair.

"I feel so useless" he said, "And I heard the noise of the gun… that's what it had to be. I heard the noise but did nothing to create a shield to save Hermione" Harry finished bitterly.

#

_Beep Beep Beep Beep_

#

Harry then clammed up and spoke to nobody as he looked into the flames. Jackson and Dorn came to see him but could only stay five minutes before overcome with the coldness in Harry's face. Jackson and Dorn had seen death a few times before – both had been present in London during attacks by Death Eaters – but this beat the look which occupied position numbers 1, 2 and 3 on Harry's face.

"Would you like some tea?" suggested Luna. She had come back after Hannah, Parvati and Susan had relieved herself, Dean and Susan on watch.

"How?" asked Harry, "Is tea going to make it better?" and Luna could only one explanation.

"Tea solves everything" she told him.

"Better pour the entire pot over Hermione then" Harry replied bitterly. He continued to remain motionless as he watched the fire crackle.

#

The Owl raced over the sea, climbing and diving to catch the currents, trying to get that extra speed, but it would all be too late

#

_Beep Beep Beep_

#

It was a full twenty four hours since they had arrived back at Salem and it was now Christmas Day, but nobody in the suite was feeling all that festive. Harry was where he had been sitting the previous day and during the night. He only got up to use the toilet, and had once gone on a complete circuit of the Institute so that he got the circulation going in his legs going. His friends took turns in keeping watch on the battle Doctors McCoy, Chapel and M'Benga fought to try and keep Hermione alive. Miriam Patterson – Susan's girlfriend – had also offered to help out on shifts, so that had helped out a bit as they could go down to two people per watch. It was almost half past twelve in the afternoon when Harry heard the footsteps approach him. He knew that the time for shift change was over, and so his head snapped round to greet the new arrivals.

#

__

#

Harry looked at each of their faces as they entered the suite.

"What?" he asked, slowly rising up to his feet from the chair.

"They've finished the operation" said Neville.

"Thank Merlin" said Harry, and he started towards the door.

"Harry…" Neville called to him. "I spoke with McCoy, and he told me everything. I'm so so sorry" and Harry bolted from the room. The friends looked at each other in horror at the news.

"Is she dead?" asked Parvati in shock.

"Not yet" said Dean. "But it is only a matter of time now" and he stalked out the room and back towards the hospital wing.

#

Hermione lay on the bed, her skin pale, lips nearly blue and the only sound he could hear was the steady _Beep Beep_ of the machines she was hooked up to. McCoy heard him as he came out of his office and approached him.

"Mr Potter" he began, "I thought I could save her. We tried everything we could do, but the damage was too great to her body. The bullet entered from the middle of the back, and caused so much damage that I assume it had some spellwork done to it. I don't know if this is a comfort or not, but she never regained consciousness" the doctor said quietly.

"But those machines… she's still alive!" Harry said not understanding. McCoy shook his head sadly.

"Miss Granger has been brain dead for the last three hours… there is nothing that I can do. Even magic will not help in this case" he stopped as the utter pain, horror, devastation and grief overcame Harry.

"Nothing?" he whispered. "But you have to save Hermione! I can't live without her. I haven't been able to give her any children, not be a good and loving husband or cherish her everyday if she dies. YOU HAVE TO!" he shouted.

"I'm sorry" was all that the doctor could reply with. "I kept the machines on because I knew you would want to say goodbye" and Harry nodded before sitting in the chair next to the bed.

"Oh, Hermione. What am I going to do without you? You've always been there for me when I needed you. I don't think that I can go on anymore" he held one hand to his head and bent over her body sobbing. The rest of the former Hogwarts students and Miriam stood at a respectful distance. They all wore the same masks of horror, and all of them were crying openly or silently. They watched as Harry pulled out his wand and cast as many healing charms as he knew, and all nine of them simply watched as Harry tried to heal Hermione. It was Seamus who broke the silence.

"It's over Harry. Let her rest" he said simply, and Harry broke down.

"But this is Christmas Day" he cried, "She can't die on Christmas day…" and he buried his head into Hermione's body.

"Do you want one of us to turn the machines off?" asked Padma. It was a common thought shared by all that they would like to take the burden of ending Hermione's life out of Harry's hands.

"No…" he said softly, tears in his eyes, "I'm her husband – I'll do it" and he got up, went around the bed and placed a finger over the button that would terminate the primary function of the support machines. "Forgive me" he whispered, and he pressed the button all the way in.

__

Hermione flatlined at once, and at that same moment every single window at Salem explosively broke apart, and the group watched as Harry sobbed into Hermione's lifeless body.

"I'll get the death certificate" McCoy said quietly. The stillness of the air was punctured only by Harry's outpouring of grief and the powerful storm that had come out of nowhere.

"Harry?" Susan approached him slowly and carefully. "Come on back to the suite… there's nothing that you can do" and Harry rose from where he was on his knees. Bending down one last time, he removed the tube from Hermione's mouth and kissed her lifeless, blue dead lips.

"Goodbye, My Princess" and then he allowed himself to be guided out of the hospital wing.

#

**Hogwarts – Same Time**

The little object stopped working and Dumbledore knew it meant Hermione was dead. The headmaster called for another meeting of the Order, and he informed them about the death.

"All we do now is wait for Harry to hand himself over to us" he smiled, "It is all for the greater good after all".

#

As Harry's mind was not working, he had been halfway to Dorn's office before the others caught up – he having lost them. They all tried to talk to him, but nothing seemed to get through at all. Luna very gently put her hand in Harry's and ended up towing him back to the suite where she sat him down in his favourite armchair.

"So now what?" they asked each other while Harry stared at the wall. During the next few hours, they watched as he cried silent tears, looked blankly at the wall and started to shake slightly.

"Time for bed" said Hannah, but Harry didn't respond. "I know this is difficult for you, but you need to rest. You haven't had a proper rest for a while, and you'll get ill if you don't sleep" and Harry slowly tilted his head upwards to stare into her eyes.

"I know" he replied.

"But why do you want to make yourself ill?" the former Hufflepuff said.

"Because then I can see my wife again" Harry said coldly, and then he apperated with a loud bang.

"Where did he go?" asked Dean. Just then the alarms went off, and Lavender and Parvati exchanged knowing looks.

"He'll be sitting on Hermione's bed" said Parvati. "I knew people would die in this war, but I never thought it would be Hermione… I never thought it" she whispered.

"Do you think he will ever be alright?" asked Neville.

"Not entirely" Luna replied, "Grief will have changed him forever. He might be the same Harry we have always known, but when he encounters the person or persons who killed Hermione, then he will stop at nothing before he destroys them" Luna paused before adding, "And I fear that revenge will destroy him as well" and she went upstairs to see if she could help him heal a broken heart.

#

Jackson was in his office along with Professors Dorn and Marcus, and they wondered what was going through Harry's head at the moment. While they talked, the alarm went off and Jackson saw that a male had entered the girls dorm where Harry and group stayed.

"Do you want me to deal with it?" asked Dorn.

"I would leave it" said Marcus. "Harry will want to be near things that remind him of Hermione" and Jackson nodded.

"I'll turn it off for tonight" he said.

#

They found him on top of Hermione's bed in a ball. Harry gripped the sheets so hard that his knuckles turned snow white. They could hear and see the sobs that racked his entire body, and nobody knew what to say or do to comfort him. The hole left in Harry's heart was so big, they wondered if it would or could be healed. Everyone was running on adrenaline so they split to separate dorms and went to sleep. Harry remained on Hermione's bed, now not crying, and Lavender watched him before pulling his shoes off and tugging the blanket over his chest. The girls slept fitfully that night, but when Hannah awoke to the sound of thunder, she bolted up and saw that Harry was missing.

"Girls…" she hissed, but nobody moved in response to her call. "Oh to hell with this" and she picked up her wand from the nightstand and created a loud bang.

"What in the name of Merlin was that for?" asked an annoyed Susan.

"Harry is missing" replied her friend, and the others threw on dressing gowns and slippers. Whilst they gathered downstairs Parvati went to the boys dorm and woke them up – telling them about Harry's vanishing act. They woke up quickly enough, and they sprang from the bed to dress, and they noticed that none of Harry's things had gone from his bed and wardrobe.

"I got that map of his" said Neville, and after saying the password – Harry having told them before they started at Salem – they tracked Harry down to the lake. They quickly and quietly got down to the lake in the cold night air, and they saw a lonely figure standing by the shore and looking up at the stars.

"Do you think she will forgive me?" asked Harry quietly.

"Who will?" asked Hannah.

"Mione" Harry said through a small sob. "I killed her" and Hannah put her hand lightly on his left shoulder.

"You didn't kill her" she said gently.

"I pressed the button that was keeping her going" Harry spat, "And what if they find something that would reverse brain death next week? I killed Hermione…" he couldn't take it anymore and he dropped to his knees – his whole body shuddering with every sob that came from him.

"No you didn't kill her" Hannah said, and she bent down to be level with him. "If anything you set her free" and Harry unexpectedly launched himself into Hannah's shoulder and cried.

"Hermione will always be with you" Luna said quietly. "When my mother died, I still remembered her afterwards and in years to come. A part of her remains in my heart and my memories, and so she lives in" the girl finished. Hannah silently thanked the girl, and then noted that the storm had vanished almost as soon as she had started to hold him. She knew Harry had not been shown a lot of love over the years of his life, and so the girl assumed that some part of Harry wanted someone to hold him.

"Shussssssssh" she whispered, "Shush shush shush shussshh. Everything is going to be alright" and she looked at the others who watched the pathetic sight unfold in front of them.

#

As Harry was unable to deal with what was happening in the world around him, Susan dealt with his affairs for him. When McCoy had come round and asked permission to perform an autopsy, she had told him in no uncertain terms to not think about it. Not only had Hermione forbid such a thin to be done to her, but Harry would most likely kill him. With that in mind, the doctor returned to the hospital wing and magically healed the remaining wounds on Hermione. While there was no reason for this, he knew that Harry wanted an open casket – one last time to say goodbye. It was a triple funeral that took place a few days later. Griphook had sent Harry a letter telling him that the adult Grangers had been killed by the work of either witches, wizards or both. The group made the trip to Godric's Hollow where the entire Granger family was laid to rest next to Harry's parents. When they got back, Harry went to his bed and stayed there for the rest of the day. Susan set up a charm on his bed to make sure that Harry didn't do anything stupid like kill himself. Over the days that followed, the group saw a change come over him. His appearance became sloppy, he made rude comments to staff and pupils alike and his marks began to drop sharply. By unspoken agreement, the others picked up the slack and handed in assignments for him. If the teachers noticed that they contained differing styles of handwriting, then they didn't say anything to them. It was by the end of the week they all realised Harry needed help.

"We've got to do something" Lavender remarked. "She can't keep going on this self destruct binge of his" she added. Harry only ate small amounts of food at meal times, only shaved every two or three days, and had started drinking entire bottles of Firewhiskey on his own.

"We should talk to him" said Miriam. "Where is he?" she wondered aloud.

"When I saw him last, he was taking the _Blackbird_ out for a flight" said Padma.

"When?" asked Dean.

"About ten minutes or so" the girl said. "Why?" and the colour in her face drained as she heard Neville talking as he moved to the door.

"The _Blackbird_ has no safety charms on it!" he shouted, and they all ran down to the grounds where they saw Harry flying in the air. As they watched, the observers could see bits falling off the broom and understood it was going to break apart at any moment.

"We've got to…" began Susan, but she was cut off by an almighty explosion. Harry had pushed the _Blackbird_ far past the limit, and it simply exploded in mid-air. They saw a figure falling to the ground, but Harry made no attempt to save himself.

"_Accio_" said Seamus thinking of the first spell that came to him. It worked, and Harry came speeding over to them and Neville took over with a levitating spell which put him on the ground gently.

"Why?" asked Lavender. "Why did you do that?" and in response they heard four chilling words.

"I want to die".

**A/N:**

**Well I know some of you will hate me for this, but this is my fic so I'll do what I want.**

**So I killed Hermione… very hard thing to do that was. Not joking either. When I wrote the word "**Hermione flatlined**", I found myself unable to write another word for a good five hours. I'd like to take this chance and address the user that uses the anon name of galaxy. I am not changing the content of my fics to suit you. I'll have you know that all the weddings I have been to use the term "Man and wife"… it's a British thing.**

**Anyway…**

**I would like to welcome on board **pixiegold **who made me laugh hard when I read her review and also reading the messages she sent back to me.**

**Apart from that, I think that is about it for now.**

**If you want anything clearing up, then please ask me in your review. I try to answer as many as I can. Each one is done personally as I think it makes a nice touch.**

**Ooohhhh…**

**There is something actually. This applies only to those that read Harry Potter True Friends 2 – how many of you got the update alert? I've only had two reviews. Bit upset to only have two reviews for that to be honest. I assume that you didn't see the update alerts, so here is your chance to read and review that as well.**

**Reviews and PM's in the normal manner:**

**Regards**

**Pixel**

**The One True God Of Fanfiction**


	20. LTLAR

**Learning To Live Again / Revelations**

"I want to die" Harry repeated. The others looked at him with sadness and pity.

"You might want to die" said Parvati, "But that wouldn't change anything" she added.

"I didn't know Hermione as much as you all did" said Susan, "But she was my friend as well, and I know she wouldn't want you to come down to this. Now you're going to get cold, so why not come back inside?" she asked. There was no verbal answer, but Harry slowly stood up and faced the group.

"I'm sorry" he mumbled. "I… I… I wasn't myself" and Neville shrugged it off.

"None of us are at the moment" he said. "Now lets get inside, get you sorted out and try to pick up the pieces" and Harry missed the look he gave the others.

"How many bottles of Firewhiskey have you got left?" asked Seamus. He was going to hunt them all down and destroy the contents.

"Only the one left" Harry said, and he allowed himself to be taken back to the suite. They watched as Harry slipped a hand under the settee and pulled out a mostly drunk bottle of amber liquid. He looked into the remaining amount as if thinking of something.

"I'll get rid of it" offered Hannah, and Harry had almost given it to her when he shook his head.

"Got a better idea" he said, and went over to the drinks cabinet. Opening it up, Harry retrieved a number of glasses and poured out the remainder of the Firewhiskey into each glass. Harry took the extra glass and put it on the coffee table near Hermione's favourite chair.

"Harry?" questioned Miriam.

"I'm fine… that's for Hermione" Harry replied, and then he raised his glass. "Hermione Jane Granger. Wife and good friend… Hermione" and he took his amount in one go.

"Hermione" the others mumbled. The girls dealt with Harry – the female touch they said – and then they went to bed. When all the lights went out, the only thing not in the right place was the full glass of Firewhiskey that reflected what remained of the fire.

#

Harry took another day off from Salem as he got his weight back up, and his friends helped him on the long road to recovery after Hermione's murder. Harry wanted to meet that person or persons very much. When he did so, there wouldn't be much left to bury. The Christmas presents, which had been left and nearly forgotten about, were opened and Harry smiled as he saw what his friends received and gave. His present to Hermione remained unopened and at the bottom of her trunk. One odd thing that the teachers found out was that even though Hermione was dead, she was still completing coursework and handing it in to be marked. This had made Professor Marcus watch Harry during potions one afternoon and was astonished to see Harry doing double the work required. When he told the other staff members they simply shrugged it off.

#

"The invites are here!" called Neville. Dobby had delivered the morning post to the suite, and Neville handed out a small envelope to everyone there. Miriam was having a birthday party in Washington House, and the girl was inviting all of her friends to come as well.

"What are you getting Miri?" asked Susan.

"I can't say exactly because delicate ears are around" Harry said, and he pointed at Luna. "But rest assured that she will like it all the same" he smiled.

"I'm not delicate" Luna complained.

"My dear Luna" began Neville, "Trust me when I say that it is better to find out later" and Luna went bright red as she blushed.

"Misses Susie?" Dobby popped into view. "Dobby is being too busys during night to visit Misses Miriam's party. Would yous be giving her Dobby's card?" and he handed over an immaculate and pristine card. Susan opened it up to see that it bore the legend:

_Misses Miriam…_

_Dobby is wishing yous all a good day._

_Hopes you have bestest day possibles_

_Dobby_

"I think she will like it" Susan said, and put it to one side with the other cards.

"I guess that you will be hogging the bathroom then?" Dean said to Susan. Susan glared at him, and so the dark skinned boy made a retreat – or what the French call "A Tactical Withdrawal" – and out the range of Mt Susan.

"So what is the plan for the game?" asked Padma.

"Simple" Harry replied, "And if you listen I shall impart my plan unto you all" and Seamus groaned.

"That is the _last_ time you watch _Ten Commandments_ Harry" he said.

"The plan is this. Some of us need all the time we can get in order to be ready, and so I'm simply going to catch the Snitch. There isn't any need for you to move from your starting places at all" Harry said. He was right as the game lasted only a grand total of ten seconds, and went down as one of the fastest games ever in the sport.

"Well I'm ready to go" Hannah said, and then she saw Harry sitting down by the fire. "HARRY!" she admonished, "You aren't even ready yet" and the former Gryffindor shook his head.

"I'm not coming" he said, and then raised a hand to ward off any questions. "Don't worry about me either. I just want to be left alone tonight. There are things I want to think about, so I'll stay here with a good book to read" and after some argument they all left for Miriam's party.

#

Harry made himself some tea and then sat back down again to start reading his book. It was one that he had found whilst packing Hermione's possessions away into her trunk, and it had tumbled out of a pile which he had picked up automatically. Harry was a quarter of the way through _The Railway Children_ when he glanced up at the clock on the mantle piece. It was half past eight, and Harry was alone in the suite. All through the house, not a creature was staring, not even a mouse. He tried to read more but found he couldn't, so he glanced at the page number and then closed the book. If he got a move on then he would make it. Picking up his wand, Harry performed a cleaning and refreshing spell on himself before going over to the fridge. Before the terrible events of Christmas, Harry had purchased two large crates of Butterbeer and he took one out of the fridge and called for Dobby.

"Can Dobby do something for the great Harry Potter?" the elf asked.

"I'd like you to take me to the party the others went to" Harry said, and after a moment Harry was taken to what he remembered was Washington House.

"Harry!" Miriam called out to him. Everyone was looking at his sudden appearance amongst their midst.

"Beware of Romulans bearing gifts" Harry said. He moved closer to where she, Susan, Hannah and a few of her other friends stood. "Can you ever forgive a pig-headed old fool without eyes to see nor ears to hear the friendship?" he asked.

"Of course" Miriam smiled, "And I am glad you decided to come" and Harry gave a weak laugh. Everyone was still watching and listening to him, and this gave Harry an idea.

"Well I see there are not a lot of drinks left" he remarked. Only a handful of Butterbeer bottles stood on the buffet table.

"Sorry about that" Miriam said.

"Just as well I brought my own" and he cancelled the disillusion spell on the crate.

"Did you buy the factory or something?" asked the birthday girl.

"Close" he laughed, and opened the crate up and started unpacking the contents onto the table.

"What brand is it?" she asked.

"Kinisons" Harry said, and Susan smiled at the mention and exchanged a nod at Harry. Her family owned the company. "There is no better brand" he added.

"Kinisons?" exclaimed Miriam. She – like most of the others – knew how expensive it was to buy. "Must have cost you a fortune" and Harry shook his head.

"I'm just glad to be of service" he said, and then in a lower voice added "Think of it as a thank you for what you did" and Miriam gave him a kiss on the cheek before going back to Susan and the others. Harry spent the remaining time of the party talking to people here and there, and thanking them for murmuring their regrets over Hermione's death. It was nearly eleven when the party ended, and only the older students remained amongst the sea of debris that was the result of a good party. Harry looked around and saw Seamus, Neville and Luna dozing by fireplace.

"I'm going to have to get up early and clear this up" Miriam said.

"No you don't" Harry replied, and he called for Dobby who popped into view. Without a word, he cleared away the rubbish and then vanished again. "Well we better be off back to our own suite" Harry said, and then noticed that Susan and Miriam were missing.

"Perhaps she'll come later" Lavender said. at that moment, there was a high pitched scream from one corner of the room.

"I think she is coming now" Parvati said, straight faced at the double entundre.

"Maybe we should leave them be" suggested her twin. The others agreed with Padma, and they left the room with the sleeping trio floating behind them. When they got back, they separated into the right dorms and went straight to sleep after dealing with the sleeping three.

#

"I think this party did Harry some good" Susan said as she stood.

"I think it did too" Miriam replied. She watched as Susan started to dress enough to get back to the suite.

"The question is at what time do we tell him about what Hermione has done" she said, pulling on her skirt.

"What do you mean?" asked Miriam, "The message?" she added.

"No" Susan shook her head. "The other thing. I don't know if Harry will be angry, happy or what. I worry more about V…V… Voldemort to be honest" she said.

"I hardly think he is going to go to Heathrow, buy a plane ticket and fly American Airlines" Miriam joked.

"I mean" Susan narrowed her eyes whilst putting on her blouse, "That he might try for the baby. Think about how much it would mean to him if he could capture or kill Harry's child" and Miriam nodded. She got up as well and walked Susan to the door.

"I'll see you later" she said, and with a kiss on the lips and squeeze to the bum, Susan left for her own part of Salem.

#

Severus Snape was having a bit of a problem. The owl he had sent returned with all of the potions intact. Weeks later, and still there was no news about what Harry was up to. To add to matters, Voldemort was drawing more and more power and more and more followers to his cause. He had changed the plans so that he would attack the day Hogwarts finished for the holidays. This was because he could eliminate a large amount of people who waited for their children getting off the Hogwarts Express. Voldemort's plan was also to take the Ministry, Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade and Hogwarts at the same time. The aim was to cripple resistance before it began. At the same time as the attack, Snape would lead a party to free those followers of Voldemort's from Azkaban. When Snape had commented about the Aurors, Voldemort commanded that Lucius Malfoy persuade Fudge to reduce the number of people employed the Auror Corps. All of this combined would make taking over very easy indeed. It just had to be seen whether or not Harry would return to lead a resistance or not.

"So what is this problem?" he asked his otherwise empty living quarters.

#

"What are you thinking of, Harry?" asked Lavender several days later.

"I was thinking that my life right now would make a really crap story" Harry replied. "And reviewers of it would write terrible stuff to me. I'd even say that some would send flames" he added.

"If that happens use a water charm to put them out" Luna said.

"Right… thanks for that" Harry said.

"So, hypothetically speaking" Parvati said, "What would you say to these people?" she enquired.

"I'd tell them to BUGGER OFF" Harry raised his voice on the last two words. The others understood if they had put time and trouble into doing something nice.

#

"It is good to be away from Salem" Harry said. When the next week long break had come around, the group had decided to go to the little cottage near the school instead of going to Sodor. Harry had said that he didn't want to go back there for a while and they had agreed that it might not be such a good idea. On the second day of the break Dobby popped into sight.

"Master Harry" he said, "Two Aurors would like to speak to you" and Harry went for his wand. "They want to talk to you" and Harry smirked.

"I bet they do" he said, and he told Dobby to let them in through the fireplace. The fireplace flared a bright green for a moment, and then two Aurors popped out – both male.

"You must be the great Harry Potter" said the black haired one. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last" and his companion sighed.

"He is always doing this" he told Harry. "My name is Mr Jekyll and this is my friend Mr Hyde" and the other Auror stared at him.

"That is the last time I let you read those stories, Robert. I am Joseph Jackson, and this is Robert Sharpe" said the first Auror. "Before we say anything, neither of us are with Dumbledore or his lot" and Harry relaxed.

"Please sit down" he said, waving them to seats. Harry called for Dobby and asked him to bring some tea and to let the others know what was going on in the library. "So, what would you like to talk about then?" Harry asked.

"We heard about your wife being killed" said Jackson, "And we knew something was very dodgy about that. We have done some investigating and tracking on our own time, and have discovered Dumbledore's magical signature on the island of Sodor" and Harry went red with anger for a moment.

"He killed Hermione?" he asked.

"No" said Sharpe, "The signature was too weak to have been him. We did discover who it was though" and he shared a look with his partner.

"Who?" asked Harry, anger getting back again. "Who killed my wife?" he asked.

"We ran the spells several times to be sure" Jackson said, "But the results came up the same" and he looked at his partner as well.

"The name we came up with was Remus J Lupin" Sharpe said.

"LUPIN?" Harry roared, "REMUS LUPIN KILLED MY HERMIONE? I RIP THAT BASTARD TO SHREDS" and Harry couldn't believe it. One of his father's own best friends had killed Hermione. "Do you know why he did it?" he asked.

"We do" replied Sharpe.

"As you might know, Tonks is part of the Order, and so she keeps in contact with Dumbledore a lot. We both heard her talking to him about the murder, and it seems Lupin did it "For The Greater Good". And it wasn't just that either" Jackson said. "Dumbledore also murdered your wife's parents" and the TV, video player, both radios, several figurines and one of the chairs violently and explosively detonated as Harry lost it.

"I AM GOING TO KILL ALBUS DUMBLEDORE! I WILL TEAR HIM LIMB FROM LIMB, RIP OUT HIS GIZZARDS, FEED HIM TO THE CROWS AND THEN SEE IF VOLDEMORT WANTS ANOTHER FOLLOWER!" Harry raged.

"Good afternoon" said a calm voice. "I'm Susan. I thought Harry was here, only he was talking quietly so I didn't know if it was him or not" she added, and then she saw the anger in Harry. "Oh shit" the girl added. The two Aurors explained the situation to her and the others, and they grew nearly as angry as Harry was. He was taking Calming Draughts ten to the dozen so he didn't blow up anything else in his anger.

"Let's get them sent to Azkaban" said Neville.

"I'd be the first to agree to that, we need more evidence" Harry said. "Then again, he has tried to break myself and Hermione up before with the mental case" he mused.

"We could gather more stuff for you" offered Sharpe.

"Least we could do" added Jackson.

"Thank you" Harry said, "Thank you very much. I appreciate what you've done for me and certainly for Mione. Please try to get as much information as possible as those bastards need to get put away" and then Harry seemed to think of something. "If you are ever in trouble with the Ministry, or short of money then give me a call. I'll see you right" and the Aurors thanked him, left contacts details and then left the cottage.

"At least that is two Aurors we can count on" Dean said.

"And a good number more I'd reckon" added Seamus.

"Now we start plotting the take down of Dumbledore and the Order" Harry said.

"Not Professor McGonagall or Professor Flitwick though" Hannah reminded him.

"No" Harry admitted, "Not them either. But from today we start gathering all the information we can on him and the rest of his band of idiots. I swear on Hermione's life that I will not rest until I see Dumbledore and Lupin punished" and a golden glow formed around Harry as he completed swearing the magically binding oath.

**A/N:**

**Glad to see you liked the previous chapter! That bit with Harry talking about the story is a broadside to those who left "unkind" reviews for the previous chapter!**

**So what have we discovered in this chapter? We've discovered that Harry is slowly getting over Hermione's death, and that he has found out who did the murder and who ordered it.**

**The brand of Butterbeer that Harry buys - and which Susan has direct access to - is taken from joemjackson's fic **Not The Only Redhead**.**

**A few hidden quotes here: the first is from Star Trek II and the second is from the film Scrooge (Alistair Sims version). Aurors Jackson and Sharpe are named after myself and joemjackson – one of the best authors on here – AFTER me of course! To let you know, Voldemort is going to launch his all out attack on Magical Britain when Hogwarts finishes. This will involve Harry coming back to defeat him. For people wondering about Snape, expect the unexpected.**

**There will be a break before I post another chapter as I want to work on some of my other fics to bring them to an end. To satisfy your thirst for my updates the fics **Never Assume The Worst, Escape To A New World **and** The Final Battle Took A Little Detour** will all have chapters released at the same time.**

**Reviews in the normal manner**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	21. Courage, Honour And Sacrifice

**Courage, Honour And Sacrifice**

Harry was down by the lake testing a new broom out, and he thought there was something ever so slightly wrong with it. After the destruction of the _Blackbird_ in his suicide attempt after Hermione's death, he had set about building a better and stronger broom. After whizzing about the grounds for some time, Harry decided that it must have been a loose connection on the glider wings, and so he landed and went inside Salem. It was only a few days before the summer holiday and the plan was to spend some of it on the yacht that Harry had purchased and named the _Hermione Jane_. It was a huge ocean going one, and all of Harry's friends were taking a trip except for Miriam, Susan and Dean. Miriam was staying at another friend's house, whilst Susan and Dean would be going to spend most of the holiday with their families. All three had emergency portkeys to get to wherever Harry was if they badly needed help.

#

Luna looked at the paper in front of her. She looked at it with a sad, quiet and calm look of contemplation and understanding.

_The universe will sing you to your sleep. This song is ending. But the story never ends_

She knew exactly what it meant. It meant that it was time for the Moon to set.

#

With one day to go until the Hogwarts Express would return the children to Kings Cross station, the Death Eaters went over their plans. Two groups would apperate directly into Diagon Alley and stop anyone from apperating or portkeying out. While this was going on, three groups would be waiting at Platform 9 ¾ for the train and then attack as soon as most of the students got off. The biggest group would enter the Ministry and kill all who stood in their way, and Voldemort would be entering with this group.

"Is everything ready?" he asked Snape.

"Yes, Master" the man replied.

"Then go to Hogwarts" Voldemort commanded. "It would be suspicious if you was not around the school during the time of the attacks" and Snape bowed before leaving for the castle. He rushed to his office and sent a message to Harry telling him about what had happened, what Voldemort was planning to do and that he should get back as soon as possible. The next thing he did was to send a message to the Ministry explaining the plans of the Death Eaters and who made up each group. Snape looked at a picture of himself and Lily Evens as she was then, and shook his head with a hint of sadness.

"I've done all I can" he said to the picture. "It wasn't easy, but I've done as much as possible" and then he retired early for the night.

#

Harry and the group cruised off the Florida coast and watched the space shuttle launch, and Harry marvelled at the technology behind the amazing craft. It was one of his dreams to one day go into space on the shuttle, but it was one he didn't hold much hope for. Once it had vanished from view he headed back into the cockpit, started the engine, pushed the throttle open and headed closer to shore as a storm was heading their way. On the way back, they passed a cruise liner named _Midnight Angels_

"It is amazing in how many ways muggles are better then us" said Hannah.

"I wouldn't say they are better then us" Harry replied, "But they have things that we do not. On the other hand of course, we have things that they don't. One day I expect we'll come out of the closet and reveal ourselves to the entire world" and Hannah agreed that it would make life much easier for everyone.

"Anyone for a cup of tea?" asked Parvati. Harry took a cup and turned over the helm to Neville who was eager at the chance to pilot for a while. Harry went out onto the upper deck where Luna, Lavender and Padma sunned themselves in their bikinis. He drank his tea while he chatted to them, and then when he was finished Harry was surprised to see Luna lean over the railings and ask for everyone to come up topside.

"All stop" Neville's voice drifted up to them, and the _Hermione Jane_ slowly came to a stop in the water. Everyone assembled topside and as Harry wondered what was going on, Miriam, Susan and Dean appeared via portkey travel.

"Just what is going on here?" Harry asked the group.

"We've got something to tell you" said Susan. "Something that Hermione told us about and not you" she added. She looked at the others as if wondering how to go on any further.

"Before she was killed" Lavender said – drawing on all her Gryffindor courage – "Hermione thought she might be killed before she had chance to give you a child. So she dealt with that issue. During one of your… sessions, she took some of your sperm and froze it" and Harry's face went from pleasantly surprised to annoyed.

"What are you saying?" he asked. "Are you trying to tell me that Hermione got herself pregnant with my child and that she had it without me knowing? What did she do?" he asked angrily, "Use a time turner or something?" and he forced himself to calm down.

"No she didn't" said Parvati. "She asked that one of us carry your child" and Harry looked at each of them.

"Well I think we can rule out Dean, Neville and Seamus" Harry said. "So that leaves you girls then. Now for the big question: Who?" he asked.

"That is for you to decide upon" Luna said to him. "Hermione said she was happy with whoever you picked. Of course there is the wedding but I suppose that can be dealt with later".

"What do you mean by marriage, Luna?" Harry demanded.

"I thought she said he would find it funny?" Luna looked back as Padma and Lavender.

"Well he isn't finding it funny at all" Harry said sarcastically. He forced himself to be very very calm, and then sighed. "So what happens now then?" he asked.

"Whoever you pick to carry your child would have to have sex with you once" Hannah said. "Not that the girl would become pregnant, but simply to ensure she had some of your protection inside her during term" she explained. Harry could see the advantage of that protection, but it wouldn't be the same as if he was making love to Hermione. Then again he had never made love to Hermione so would never know.

"I'm not happy about this" Harry said at last. "I'm not happy at all, but I'll think about who I will choose" and Harry got up and went down below into the cabin. The group looked at the space occupied by Harry before Miriam broke the silence.

"Harry took that rather well I thought" Seamus said.

"Indeed" said Dean gravely.

"I better head us back to shore" Neville said, and a few moments later, the boat spluttered into life and moved towards port.

"So who do you think he will pick?" asked Miriam quietly.

"Knowing Harry he'll do it himself" Lavender said. Nobody knew if she was joking or not. The trip back to port was pretty quiet from Harry's point of view, but it all kicked off hours later when Harry got the letter from Snape.

#

Nobody believed the letter that Snape had sent to the Ministry, and so nobody expected the attack that came from the Death Eaters. Hundreds of people died on Platform 9 ¾ as they met their children off the train. The attack went better then Voldemort expected, and only a handful of people managed to apperate directly from the platform – those grabbing as many children as they could at the same time. The slaughter was so quick that the Death Eaters killed the wounded before going to Azkaban and freeing their comrades and anyone willing to support their cause. Diagon Alley fell just as easy and the devastation took on bigger proportions as the Death eaters killed men, women and children alike. Bodies exploded and shops burned before a counter attack could be set up. Anyone left alive was either killed, tortured or taken away for later pleasure.

While all this was going on, Voldemort and his most loyal and senior Death Eaters stormed the Ministry which gave a fair fight. People fell on both sides but there were too many Death Eaters and Voldemort simply walked into Fudge's office and killed the Auror guard that surrounded the Minister.

"Good Evening, Minister" Voldemort said sarcastically. "Your forces have been destroyed and my Death Eaters are killing those who resist. Do you have anything to say?" he asked. Fudge looked straight into Voldemort's eyes, stood up, straightened his robes, cast a memory recording charm silently and then stood in a formal pose.

"As Minister for Magic, and on behalf of the Ministry of Magic – I surrender" Fudge said.

"Thank you, Fudge" Voldemort said, "Now that makes my life easier" and he left the room. As he did so, he cast the killing curse at Fudge. The Death Eaters had orders to stun the Aurors so they could round them up into one place later on. With several key locations secured, and forces being freed from Azkaban, Voldemort stormed the WWN offices as well as those of the _Daily Prophet_. When he checked the time, the dark lord was pleased to see that it was five minutes quicker then he had planned for. All that he needed now was for Harry to show up, be killed whilst fighting him and then he could rule Britain with an iron fist just as he wanted. Anyone who could get away, made their way to the relative safety of Hogwarts. The killing continued as The Death Eaters went to the houses of people who opposed them, and killed every living being inside of them.

Then they attacked Hogwarts…

#

"Harry! Wake up!" a voice disturbed Harry from his sleep. He opened his eyes to see the blurry figure of Susan shaking him roughly. He sat up, blinked and rubbed his eyes before putting on his glasses.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked her.

"You need to get downstairs" she said. Harry got out of bed and was going for his jeans when Susan told him that there was not time. He followed her downstairs to the living room where the others had gathered in their nightclothes as well. Harry saw they all had faces of horror and it was easy to find out why. The wireless gave him all the news he wanted.

'…_eat! All magical communication with the United Kingdom has been cut off. The last contact reported that the Dark Lord had attacked most of the key locations and was killing innocent men, women and children without mercy. Attempts to send forces via Portkey or Apparition have been unsuccessful, and it assumed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has blocked all outgoing and incoming travel. It is rumoured that the Supreme Mugwamp, Albus Dumbledore, has gone into hiding with a number of others. The final message also said that the Ministry had surrendered, but many Aurors were still fighting You-Know-Who's forces in order to give people chance to escape. We do not know the size or the strength, or the disposition of the enemy forces, but one can only pray that he is defeated…_' Harry turned the wireless off and thought about what was going on. Everyone looked at each other in silence as they tried to make sense of what was happening back home. Their families might be dead or injured from the vicious assaults.

"What do we do?" Luna asked Harry. The rest looked to him as if he had some kind of answer to give them. He knew what they wanted though – assurance that things would be alright in the end. There was only one thing to do though – but the cost would be high. The silence in the room was broken only by the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room.

"We fight" Harry said. "Get dressed as quick as you can, and then get back here for Portkey travel" and he turned to Seamus. "Which bit of Ireland do you live in?" he asked.

"Eire" he replied. Then he saw what Harry meant by his question. Whilst Northern Ireland was closed off to Portkey and apparition, the south part was free of those restrictions. All they had to do was to get to Eire and then get over the border and then apparate to Hogwarts. The Irish boy turned and ran up the stairs to his room.

"Miriam?" Harry called, and the girl turned on the stairs to face him. "This is a British problem" he said, "So I can't ask you to come with us" and Miriam smirked.

"I'm going anyway" and then she headed up to her room. They dressed in light clothing that allowed them to move quickly, and then came downstairs with their wands gripped tightly. Harry looked at each of them before speaking to them.

"This is going to be dangerous" he said, "If any of you want to back out now then this is your chance. I will not think any less of you for it" and there was a moment or two of silence.

"We're wasting precious time" said Susan. Harry looked at them and was proud of how much respect they had for him.

"Thank you" he said, and as they took hold of Harry they vanished from sight.

#

The forest came alive with the sound of a crack and the group landed in a heap on the ground. They picked themselves up, sorted out the dropped wands from twigs and then took a look around them.

"So far so good" Hannah said.

"I don't think so" Luna said, and she pointed out the three muggles that looked at them with looks of shock.

"Oh crap" said Seamus. "Want me to deal with this?" he asked Harry.

"Please" he replied. Seamus stepped forward and spoke in Gaelic.

"Do not be afraid" he said, "We come from Tír na nÓg! We are here to defeat a great menace that will kill mortals. Please go home for the next two days" and the muggles vanished pretty fast.

"Nice work" said Dean. They made their way over the border and then apperated as close to Hogwarts as they could.

#

"Attack Hogwarts" Voldemort commanded. "Attack it and kill all those who stand in your way. Once we have defeated most of them, the rest will surrender and become our slaves. Lord Voldemort promises anybody that you might desire afterwards…" his last words gave an added incentive. The Death Eaters attacked in force and took down the wards that surrounded the castle. They ran in mass groups as they laucnhed their assault, and the defenders tried very hard to keep them out – but they failed to do so. Dead, dying and wounded littered the grounds and some thought it was the end of their lives. McGonagall was at the front lines directing the defence until she was hit by a powerful and deadly curse. As she fell to the floor, two older students picked her up and carried her to the Hospital Wing. It was decided that they couldn't hold the outer parts of the castle, so the decision was made to fall back to the inner most parts so they stood a chance.

#

"We have got no chance at all" said Ernie Mcmillan.

"We would if Harry was still here" agreed Justin Finch Fetchly. The pair cast double blasting hexes at the Death Eaters and then ran back down the corridor to give themselves more time.

"At least some of us will make it" Ernie said bitterly. "And I never did get to tell Hannah about…" he was cut off by a loud bang which came from behind them. The two Hufflepuffs looked at each other before going to investigate the sound. Both boys knew it might be Death Eaters who had managed to get past the barricades set up by the Weasley twins who lay in the Hospital Wing. They found the source and looked directly at the mass of limbs.

"How the fuck does he do that?" asked Justin. Harry and the group staggered to their feet and got their bearings.

"I heard you have a spot of bother" said Harry to the two Hufflepuffs with a faint smile. Then his expression grew serious as he heard the battle take place. "How are you doing?" he asked them.

"We've retreated back to the inner parts of the castle" said Ernie. "Voldemort has sent in everyone he can spare to attack this place" he shook his head before looking at the group. "We heard about Hermione… if there's anything that I can do…" Harry waved him off.

"Help me defeat Voldemort and we'll call it quits" he said.

"Who is in charge?" asked Susan.

"I would have said that McGonagall was in charge, but I don't think anyone is now" said Justin. "She was hit by a powerful curse and Pomfrey says there isn't a cure" and he swore.

"Well from now on, you take orders from me" Harry said firmly.

"We might just win this after all" Justin remarked, and he and Ernie took the new arrivals to where the biggest amount of fighting was taking place. The smell of death nearly made them be sick, and the sight of blood on the walls didn't help much. Smoke filled the air as curses, jixes, hexes and spells rocketed backwards and forwards between the defenders and the Death Eaters,

"POTTER'S BACK!" the cry filled the air and gave the battered defenders new hope. Haryr had come to save them once again! The group split into teams who provided cover for a withdrawl back to the T junction of some corridors.

"When I give the word" Harry whispered as he took cover round the corner, "Send the most powerful spells you can at them. Don't bother to aim for any one person – just think of the other end of the corridor and shoot" and they all nodded. The Death Eaters wondered why they had retreated again, and began moving up. "NOW!" Harry bellowed, and a wall of spellwork hit the Death Eaters and killed or wounded most of them.

"Now what?" asked Miriam.

"If we can push these scum out of the castle then we might stand a chance" Harry thought quickly, "But I know we've not got the time for that – so we do this instead" and he filled them in on his plan. The plan was useless after several moments by the arrival of Voldemort. Harry didn't see him but his voice filled the castle.

"I know you are in there, Harry Potter" he said. "If you surrender yourself then I might spare the life of your friends. I may even allow you to join my loyal Death Eaters" and the people surrounding him could see the inner battle that raged in Harry's he surrendered, then Voldemort wouldn't keep the promise. But Harry knew he had to face him in battle in order to defeat him once and for all.

"I'm going to face him" he said quietly. What no one realised for a while was the the Death Eaters had retreated from the castle.

"You can't, Harry" said Lavender.

"Only I can face him" Harry replied. "Not you, not anyone else, but me" he looked at them all. "Take this time to get the wounded medical attention" he added sighing. I expect him to attack soon anyway. No doubt he needs to get his forces from wherever they are located at the moment. Shore up as much damage as you can, and also try to put some barricades up like making stone walls" and they noded silently.

"Do you want one of us to come with you?" asked Parvati.

"Better not" Harry replied, "This is something that I alone must do" and before they could argue he walked off.

Harry walked along the heavily damaged sections of the castle, saw the death and destruction that Voldemort had caused and promised that it would all end with the Dark Lord's death. He tried not to look at the broken bodies that silently awaited someone to collect them for later burial. A lot of the younger students littered the corridors and passage ways, and the smell of blood made Harry be sick out the nearest hole in the wall. A lot of the dead were innocent children who had no useful information to the Death Eaters, and so they had been killed because of that very fact. As he picked his way round a mass of the dead, Harry noted that some of the Slytherins had remained loyal to Hogwarts – how many he would find out later. Acrid smoke filled his nostrils along with the unique smells of burning and burnt flesh, and Harry had to do a bubble head charm on himself so he wouldn't be sick again. As he got to the front doors of the castle, the bodies grew more and more in number – they had lost a lot of good people this day. He saw Voldemort standing in the grounds surrounded by his followers. Harry took a deep breath, cancelled the bubble head and walked towards his enemy.

"So at last" Voldemort said slowly, "We see each other plain. I knew you would erturn to this place. Knew that you would face me. And I knew that you die by my hand" and Harry shook his head and smirked.

"If you surrender now, then I will ensure you and your followers get a fair and decent trial" he told Voldemort.

"Lord Voldemort does not surrender" said the shell of what was once Tom Riddle. "I shall fight you to the death, display your rotting corpse as a warning to those who stand in my way, and show the muggles how they are always subject to Wizards" and Harry looked him in the eye.

"Well I did offer you it – don't blame me later. Muggles are subject to wizards? Only Wizards? I can see that you are not an equal oppertunities employer." And then he looked around at the eager Death Eaters who clearly wanted him to have pain before he died. "Well if we are going to fight, then I don't want any of your followers to interfere" and to his surprise Voldemort agreed.

"I shall take great delight in your defeat, Potter!" he laughed highly, and then cast the first spell. All different types of spells, jinxes, curses and hexes flew between Harry and Voldemort, but he was too powerful and it was then that Harry cem up with an idea. He allowed himself to be flung backwards and waited for Voldemort to loom over him. Before the Dark Lord could say or do anything, Harry jumped up and cast a severing charm on one of his arms.

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Voldemort's scream was loud and painful. The sound echoed through the grounds. Voldemort picked up his severed arm, touched the Dark Mark and then Harry watched as he and his Death Eaters vanished. He stared at the spot for a few moments before turning and running back to the castle.

#

"He vanished?" Susan asked again.

"I don't believe it myself" said Harry. "It was like he needed to get to wherever he had come from" and at that moment, the doors to the great hall opened and Dean came running in. a look of abject horror and shock was plastered on his face. "What?" Harry asked him.

"I was talking to some people here" Dean began, "And they said that certain students vanished after they heard Voldemort's screaming" he finished. Harry racked his brains for an answer to the problem faced. If hermioen had been alive, then she would have come up with an answer faster then travelling by portkey. Portkey? Portkey…

"PORTKEY!" Harry's shout caused everyone around him to jump. "I bet that the Death Eaters had portkeys around their necks. When they struck down some of them, I bet they only used stunners and planted portkeys linked to the one Voldemort was using" and Harry's tone grew darker. "The bastard took hostages" he added thickly, then he saw Neville enter the hall. Even though he had seen death already, he was shaken, pale and not quite with it.

"Neville?" Padma looked over at him.

"She's dead" Neville said simply.

"McGonagall?" Seamus said. "Thought she would last longer" but the other boy shook his head. It was at that point that he saw the string of butterbeer corks hanging limply out of one hand. "Luna…" Seamus couldn't finish what he was going to say.

"How?" asked Hannah.

"Not all of the Death Eaters left the castle. Luna defended a group of first and second years from being killed" Neville started shaking. "When they found her, she'd had her skirt ripped off… she wasn't in one piece…" he broke off into sobs. Miriam went over and offered her shoulder to cry on.

"We'll get the bastards" she promised him.

"The one person I loved more then Hermione…" sobbed a distraught Neville.

"That is enough" Harry snapped, and he went to the nearest dead Death Eater and searched around in their robes. He pulled out a long chain which he resized so it was bigger. The others looked at him in surprise at the sudden activity in the Great Hall. The tables had been banished to make room for more hospital beds – people being tended by older students and the few Healers who managed to make an escape. "Lets go and get our people" and as one they all put the chain around their necks.

With a mutter of something in Parseltounge, they vanished from the hall and ended up in a large field near a tall and imposing Mansion – Riddle Manor. The pop caused dozens of Death Eaters to look at them before they started firing spells at the group. They returned fire at once, but they were outnumbered and outgunned. Harry quickly looked behind him and saw a cave like opening. He shouted it out, and they all backed off to get in it. In order to give them some time, Harry, Dean, Seamus and Susan cast shield charms that overlapped themselves so that it was nearly impossible to hurt them. This had the side effect of blocking them in the cave which was very bad, and the Death Eaters battered the sheilds with blasting hexes. They took a few pot shots at them, but Harry knew that they didn't have a chance at all unless he…

"I'll surrender to Voldemort" he said quietly.

"You can't" Susan said – gasping like the others.

"If I give myself up, then it will allow you to get away" Harry told them all. "And I might be able to get close to Voldemort and take him out… even if that means I go as well" and Seamus snorted.

"Well we can't have that now" he said, and Harry simply stunned him.

"This is not an argument!" Harry's tone carried no argument. He turned round and faced the opening. "I'm Harry Potter. I surrender" but the Death Eaters didn't take the excuse at all, and they doubled their efforts to break down the shields and kill them all.

"We aren't going to make it" said Hannah.

"Don't talk like that!" snapped Padma, "There must be a way out of this", and she looked at the cave entrance. A bit in the distance, they could all see the Death Eaters advancing on them.

"The minute we step out of there, we are going to get hit by everything" Dean said, "If we raise shields, then we can not use the portkeys" he added.

"I'll shield you all" Harry said, "I'm good for a number of shots" and his friends frowned at him.

"But how do you get out?" Miriam asked him.

"He doesn't" Lavender said slowly.

"No" agreed Harry, "I don't".

"I don't understand" said a confused Susan.

"I'll cover you and then try to apperate" Harry told her a complete lie – the others knew it. "Risky, but someone has to do it"

"No you can't!" Parvati cried out, "Who else is supposed to defeat Voldemort?" and Harry shook his head.

"You'll find that out later" Harry said, and before she could protest, he had stunned her as well. They went out the cave, and Harry put everything he had into the shield charm. Dull thuds could be heard from the spells hitting the magical protection. "Better get out of here" he told them, and Susan retrieved the portkey from around Harry's neck. They moved closer to him so they could use him as a booster for the portkey transmission, and then – just as they vanished- Harry saw a second shield appear behind his. He felt his hand being put on the portkey, and his own shield vanished. The next thing he saw was the grounds of Hogwarts once again.

"Harry?" the portkey jolt had broken the stunner on Parvati. "I don't get it. You body bound me to stop myself from stopping you, but you're here. If you're here, then who…" her voice broke off as she registered who the missing person was.

#

Neville heard the faint pop of his friends going away, and he felt no regrets at what he was going to do. He dropped the shield, and sent a blasting hex which took out the first four Death Eaters coming up the path. The son of Alice and Frank Longbottom gave as good as he got, but he was pushed up against the sheer cliff face.

"No way out now" said one of the hooded figures. They circled like sharks, and Neville had an idea. He wordlessly blew several of them to pieces before battling the others. Shots rocketed back and forth as they exchanged fire.

"Call yourselves bad?" Neville mocked them as he cast another killing curse. "You know whose bad? YOU'RE LOOKING AT HIM!" and he fired anything and everything in quick fire rapid succession. A severing spell caught his leg, and he fell heavily to the ground, but he continued to shoot for as long as he could. But he was relieved of his wand, and the Death Eaters loomed over him. It was clear that they all intended to make him suffer. He shifted to a sitting position, and felt the other wand he carried slip down his sleeve and into his hand. The blood poured from his severed leg, but it didn't really matter now.

"Time to make you suffer" said one of the Death Eaters, and they all pointed their wands at Neville. Neville though simply gripped Luna's wand – he had taken it from her body - and put every last effort into shouting his last words.

"I'M COMING LUNA! CONFRINGO!" and the ground exploded as Neville took himself and all the Death Eaters around him. The sound echoed like a massive cannon as the fifty foot crater was formed in the ground – sending soil dozens of feet into the air.

#

Harry sat at the top table in the Great Hall, and watched as people came in with various injuries. Teams of Healers went between dozens of patients, assisted by the older students. The younger ones made themselves busy by running around and collecting things the Healers and older students wanted. Harry had insisted that everyone get checked by the Healers, but he himself had refused to be seen. Harry had even pulled his wand on an Auror who had tried to "escort" him to treatment. Nobody spoke to him, and nobody went near him. The death of Neville had affected him deeply. This wasn't his fight. Harry should have stayed behind to finish the job – not Neville. He had looked at reports that passed in front of him, and read the news that the Death Eaters seemed to be holding all of the remaining prisoners in the dungeons of Riddle Manor. Everyone from Voldemort to the newest recruit was there, and they would most likely going to kill them in the morning. By night time, only a handful of people were still awake – those who couldn't sleep. Harry walked around the battlements, and amongst the outer corridors. The plan kept getting changed in little parts until it fit just fine.

#

"Say that again" Susan said.

"Harry wants everybody in the great hall in less then four minutes" Hannah said.

"What for?" Miriam asked, getting up from the sofa. She was puzzled as to what Harry would want at four in the morning with the entire school. Her eyes went wide when informed of the plan.

"Know what you are going to do?" Seamus asked Dean.

"Not exactly" said his friend.

"Well take your time. It takes approximately four minutes to get down there" Seamus said, and they walked down to the hall. All the tables and chairs had vanished, and Harry was stood at the far end on a large block of stone. The group managed to push their way to the front, and Harry began to speak.

"You all know who I am, so I'll make this easy. As you know, Neville Longbottom was killed whilst saving the lives of myself and others. He died in the attempt to free the hostages. Before I left, I created charms and cast spells that will allow this castle to move. I will use that ability to travel to Riddle manor and free the hostages. I hope to accomplish this successfully", and Harry paused to look at the crowded hall, and then raised his voice. "NO ONE SHOULD FEEL OBIGATED TO JOIN THIS MISSION IN ANYWAY. THIS IS A DECISION I HAVE MADE FOR MYSELF! IF IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PERSONEL TO CREW HOGWARTS… I WILL LEAD A PORTKEY ASSAULT WITH ANYONE WHO IS WILLING TO JOIN ME. LET THERE BE NO ILLUSIONS – THIS IS LIKELY TO BE A ONE WAY TRIP! SO DON'T VOLUNTEER OUT OF SENTIMENT OR EMOTION! THERE IS A LINE RUNNING DOWN THIS FLOOR" and the packed hall split into two as they looked at the red line running down the exact middle of the hall. "VOLUNTEERS, STEP TO THE RIGHT SIDE. EVERYONE ELSE, TO THE LEFT" Harry got off the makeshift podium and stood in front of it. "Make your choice" he said quietly, but everyone could hear. Nobody moved until Susan slowly moved to the right side of the hall. She was followed by Dean, Seamus, Hannah, Padma and Parvati, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch Fletchly, all the remaining older members of Gryffindor came next and followed by Pomfrey. Harry out his hand out to stop her, and he said that she was needed with the wounded. The rest of the Hufflepuffs came next as well as the Ravenclaws. Though they normally stayed away from fighting, one of their house had been killed – they had a score to settle! A number of Aurors came to the left, while some remained or crossed to the right. People in the hall moved from one side to the other as they made their choices. Harry watched as two first year Ravenclaws moved over and joined the volunteers, and Harry thought he knew them from somewhere. Then, and very slowly and deliberately, Daphne Greengrass and her sister Astoria moved to the left hand side. The pair was followed up by Tracy Davis and Zabini Blaise. Harry was touched when he saw one little black haired first or second year Ravenclaw with a broken arm move over to volunteer, and somehow supporting a Hufflepuff who had her left leg in plaster. Harry was looking at the two sides when there was a very weak voice from the doors.

"Excuse me" it said, and Harry saw McGonagall shuffling towards him. He started walking towards her, when she was held up by several students. The curse had taken a heavy toll on her, but the dependable teacher was not about to let her students down now – not when they needed her the most.

"You should be resting" Harry said in a low voice.

"I'm dying, Harry" replied McGonagall, "In a few hours I can have all the rest I want. Besides, you didn't think of taking off without me did you?" she half accused him.

"Not for a minute, Headmistress" Harry smiled, and the party moved to the front as the hall looked at the old battleaxe's determination.

"I made a rough count" said Lavender, and Harry put on a questioning look. "We have at least two hundred plus students, and half that in Aurors" shook his head.

"I hope that is enough" he said. "LISTEN UP PEOPLE!" Harry shouted. "YOU ALL HAVE HALF AN HOUR TO PACK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN INTO YOUR TRUNKS. WHEN YOU ARE PACKED, COME BACK HERE FOR PORTKEY TRAVEL!" and they rapidly dispersed.

"So now what do we do?" asked Daphne Greengrass.

"We prepare to enter the belly of the beast. They will be expecting us to fight on the ground, and so have set up traps. I intend to surprise them by having teams of two on a broom. They will fly around and cause as much chaos as possible. As for the actual fighting side, it is just as well that I brought these along" and Harry withdrew several twigs from his inside jacket pocket. When he tapped each one, it resized into a _Dauntless_ class broom.

"What are _those_?" asked a voice. Harry turned to see Aurors Jackson and Sharpe come close.

"These are brooms made to transport several people at once. They are rather like muggle troop transports. Each broom will hold five people and will deploy to different locations" Harry explained.

"But what about the castle?" Seamus asked, and it was Padma's quick mind that came up with something.

"We seal all the windows, turn them into part of the walls and shoot out of little holes" she said.

"Death Blossom" said Dean with a grin, "All we need now is a gung ho iguana telling me to relax" and he went off with Seamus to enjoy the last few moments of freedom he had left. Come to that, so did everyone else.

#

Everyone who was not part of the mission had either left or was doing so. Because this would only surprise the Death Eaters for a moment, the Aurors waited on the brooms for the shift in location. Once that had happened, they would fly out and begin the fight. One thing was for certain – not all of them would be coming back alive. Back in the hall, and Harry was waiting for the last people to leave.

"LAST PORTKEY OUT… LAST PORTKEY OUT! IF ANYONE STAYS BEHIND, THEN YOUR ARSE BELONGS TO ME!" and after everyone had vanished – there was only silence. Harry went to the giant version of the Marauder's Map where the "Senior Staff" as he had called them, waited for him. "Are we all set?" he asked.

"Well for what we are about to do" she replied. Harry chuckled, before casting a spell on himself. There was a dull tone as a spell carried his voice to all over the castle.

"This is Harry Potter. In a few moments, I will jump the castle. I just want to say something though. On my personal authority as Lord Gryffindor, you are all authorised to use the killing Curse if you need to, in order to protect yourself, your friends and this castle. Listen for instructions and orders, stand to your duties and trust your fellow pupils, and we'll all get through this. Hogwarts has seen a lot of history. Been through a lot of battles. This will be her last. _SHE WILL NOT FAIL US, IF WE DO NOT FAIL HER_. All hands, prepare for jump!" and Lavender began a countdown.

_5_

_4_

_3_

_2_

_1_

The castle exploded in light before it vanishde, leaving a smoking hole where it had been moments before. It appeared in another flash of light in the air above Riddle Manor. The Death Eaters looked into the sky to see the castle hovering above them.

"Report!" Harry shouted.

"Altitude is 75ft" Lavender said.

"Launch… launch them all!" Susan shouted. A couple of students nodded and shouted the message along. A few moments later, everyone who had a broom launched from all of the towers, windows and doorways in Hogwarts's outer walls. The Death Eaters gathered their wits, and started shooting at the riders and the castle. Even through the thick stone floor, Harry could feel the blasting hexes blowing chunks out of the castle. He was glad that he and some others had fileld the dungeons with stone to make things more difficult.

#

"My lord!" a Death eater came up and bowed before Voldemort.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Potter and his friends have come again" the man panted. "But they…" he paused as if thinking of what to say.

"WHAT IS IT?" Voldemort thundered.

"Potter has brough Hogwats with him" and Voldemort was about to _Crucio_ him when others came in with the same story. His robes flying behind him, the Dark Lord went to a window and looked out and saw it was true.

"No…" he whispered. As the most evil man in recent times look on, the broomstick riders struck down his followers. "Don't bother to stun them, use the killing curse on all those who fly against us" Voldemort ordered. The Death Eaters bowed once more and left to pass on the orders. Outside the Manor – which was really a castle itself – the battle raged with an unmatched fury. People on both sides fell to spells and curses as they tried to defeat the other side. Harry turned the castle to put the strongest side first so that they could last longer, but a series of seven blasting hexes took out the Ravenclaw tower and dozens with it.

"Well that wasn't very good" said Harry. On the Marauder's map he saw that the most of Raveclaw tower was gone. The people shooting out of holes in the walls made certain to avenge their fallen comrades, and they obliterated the casters with terminal force. The battle lasted for hours on end, and no matter how good they where, Harry and the volunteers were simply outmatched. Worse was when Voldemort created a sheild over his location which meant they couldn't get in and stop him.

"We've lost all of the brooms, Ravenclaw tower is destroyed, Gryffindor tower has sustained several hits, and we've lost hundreds of people either by death or injury" Miriam said. Harry looked around at the tired and defeated people around him, saw the pain in their eyes.

"It's a trap!" cried Dean. "We can't repel firepower of that magnitude" he added as another – this time more ominous feeling – rumble shook the entire castle though it's core. It was so powerful that it took everyone to their feet, and it sent them flying all over the place. Harry was the first to get up amid the dust and falling stone work to see the Marauder's Map showing him that Gryffindor tower no longer existed, that entire area was badly hit and nobody was in that area.

"Report!" he yelled. In order to give them more time, Harry moved Hogwarts higher into the air.

"We've lost ten out of the eleven towers, nearly the entire west wing is demolished and we're fast running out of fighters" Dean wiped the blood that came from his forehead. Harry looked at him, then the other injured people and sighed.

"Abandon ship" he said quietly.

"WHAT?" Parvati shouted. It was clear she either didn't hear him, or didn't understand what he meant. Harry turned his wand to his throat and cast a spell so that his voice would filled what was left of Hogwarts.

"This is Harry Potter speaking for Professor McGonagall. ABANDON SHIP! ABANDON SHIP! ALL HANDS – ABANDON SHIP! THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I SAY AGAIN – ABANDON SHIP ABANDON SHIP. ALL HANDS ABANDON SHIP! APPERATE AWAY OR COME TO THE GREAT HALL TO RECEIVE A PORTKEY" and then Harry cancelled the spell. The silence was broken only by blasting hexes from the ground.

"You heard the order! ABANDON SHIP!" said Seamus. He and Dean went round and gave everyone portkeys to get out of Hogwarts and to the safe house that was currently being run by the Weasley twins. The Great Hall emptied quickly of everyone until only Harry and friends were left.

"Time to go" said Lavender.

"I'll catch up to you" said Harry. "Something I have to do first" and the he looked up from the Marauder's Map.

"You're going to fight Voldemort" said Hannah.

"Not exactly" Harry replied. "He wanted Hogwarts, so I'll give it to him – right down his fucking throat" and the others looked blankly at his statement as they staggered after another serious hit.

"I don't understand" said Miriam.

"I'm going to ram the castle into the shield" Harry said. "The sheer brute force should be enough to batter it down, and then we can get inside the place and hopefully kill Voldemort" and he looked silently at his friends before they nodded at him and portkeyed away.

"Good luck, Harry" Hannah's words hung in the air as she vanished. Harry smiled at the empty air, and then turned to his task. He concentrated all of his magic into the act of causing Hogwarts to crash. The castle pelted down with tremendous speed, damaged and undamaged sections broke off as the ancient castle plummeted downwards in its final act.

"Come on, baby" Harry spoke to the castle. "Just hold together for a few more seconds… come on, come on, come on, come on…" Harry chanted. The whole building shook as it plunged down, and Harry hoped that it would keep together longer enough. As it went down, Harry cast a spell that turned on all of the lights – inside and out. The Death Eaters saw it falling, and tried to blast it from the skies. They only succeeded in destroying more of the castle walls, and then it was too late. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry slammed into the shield that Voldemort had created with the most tremendous explosion that had ever been heard by all present. The shield flickered, flared and then died as the sheer blunt force simply shattered it from existence. The blast effect through many off their feet and flying stonework and debris caused many deaths. Harry watched from near a large crater which was a part testament to Neville's suicidal sacrifice. He looked at the entrance to Riddle manor and saw the route to the castle was clear of people. He apperated directly to the front door so he didn't see the broken bodies of those who had given their lives in the cause of freedom. From those times Harry had seen images from Voldemort's mind, he knew just where to find him. He walked down the long corridors and simply beheaded those Death Eaters that stood in his way. Footsteps made him turn round and cast a stunner at the red haired girl. Knowing that it would only last a few seconds, he pulled out a trunk, expanded it and placed her inside. Then when he closed the lid, Harry tapped it with his wand. The automatic return charm activated and with a screeching noise it vanished leaving a small breeze.

#

Susan woke up and felt herself swirling around. When her head had cleared she remembered Harry turning on the spot and knocking her out. He must have put her in a portkey trunk and activated it because of the sensations. A moment of looking around, and the girl realised it was the trunk that Harry had made at Salem called the TARDIS. She tried to get the lid open but no spell worked. As she pounded the side of the trunk with her fists, a small beep caused her to turn around and look at Harry. It wasn't him exactly, but rather a sort of Pensive recording of him in black and white. It was of a poor quality as the image shuddered, juddered and she could see right through it.

"This is Emergency Programme One. Susan, now listen, this is important. If this message is activated, then it can only mean one thing: we must be in danger, and I mean fatal. I'm dead, or about to die any second with no chance of escape."

"No!" Susan cried out.

"And that's OK" the image continued, "I hope it's a good death. But I promised to look after you, and that's what I'm doing. The TARDIS is taking you to a safe house".

"I won't let you" Susan said, but the image took no notice of her.

"And I bet you're fussing and moaning now, typical. But hold on, and just listen a bit more. The TARDIS can never return for me" and as the image of Harry spoke, Susan moved slowly to its left side. "Emergency Programme One means I'm facing an enemy that should never get their hands on this machine. So this is what you should do: let the TARDIS die. Just let this old box gather dust, no-one can open it, no-one will even notice it. Let it become a strange little thing standing in an attic corner. And over the years, the world will move on, and the box will be buried. And if you wanna remember me, then you can do one thing. That's all, one thing" and to Susan's surprise, the image turned and looked her right in the eye which made her take a step or two backwards. "Have a good life. Do that for me, Susan. Have a fantastic life" and then the image faded out.

"Can't do this to me" Susan whispered. "You can't" then she started yelling at the trunk. TAKE ME BACK! TAKE ME BACK"

#

At the beginning of the year, Harry would have had serious issues with killing people outright, but now was very, very different. He never used the killing curse, but simply cast severing and banishing charms. He came to a set of doors, blasted them off their hinges and walked inside.

"Potter!" hissed Voldemort, then he raised a hand to stop his followers from attacking him. "Leave him to me. I will take great pleasure in your death, Harry" he laughed in his normal high pitched tone.

"Lets just end this right here and now" Harry said.

"Very well" Voldemort agreed, and then he cast _Crucio_ which Harry dodged.

"_Impedimenta_" came Harry's opening move. He thought it had hit Voldemort, but the Dark Lord had moved away at the last moment.

"_Reducto_" Harry only just managed to dodge that vicious spell. If it had hit him , he would have been turned into a pile of ashes.

"_Microsoft!_" Harry cast the most powerful virus he could think of, and it sliced into Voldemort's arm causing him to scream out in pain.

"Master?" one of the masked Death Eaters made a move towards him, but Voldemort waved him back in place.

"I will recover" he said, and then looked at Harry who was getting to his feet. "So you've got better have you? Well that won't save you now" Voldemort was mocking Harry as the two circled around. "_Sectumsempra_" and it hit Harry in his wand arm. He switched to his other hand, but Harry knew that it was only a matter of time. Then he came up with an idea that might just work.

"You win" he said, and pointed his wand down to the floor. "I'll join you" and Voldemort cackled.

"I knew you would either join me or die by my hand" he said. "Come and kneel before me so that you may receive the Dark Mark" and Harry went over and did as he was told. The Death Eaters watched as Harry went down on one knee in front of their master.

"I want to say one thing" Harry said through staggered breaths.

"What?" asked Voldemort.

"Are you really that stupid?" Harry asked. "Give my regards to Satan! _Confringo_" and he shoved his wand into Voldemort's chest as he spoke. The robes caught fire and then the skin as Voldemort burned. Instead of his flesh burning into ash and lumps, he began to turn into a puddle of ooze.

"I'm melting!" screamed Voldemort. "I'm melting _MELTING!_" and as he died, the Death Eaters fell to the ground as their links with Voldemort vanished leaving them effectively stunned. There was silence as the reign of terror that Voldemort had was over. Harry was expecting fireworks to appear out of somewhere, but there was nothing like that at all. Footsteps running towards the room made him turn with his wand pointing at the doorway, and Harry knew that he didn't stand a chance with him being drained and injured so much.

"HARRY!" Susan's voice made him lower his wand and drop to the floor. "We need to get you to see a healer" but Harry shook his head.

"Patch me up" he said to her, "We need to free the hostages" and she saw the look in his eyes.

"Okay" the girl replied. "What is that though?" and she pointed out the puddle that was burning through the stone floor.

"Susan Bones, meet the remains of Lord Voldemort aka Tom Riddle" Harry said grandly as she healed his arm as best she could. "That helps a little bit" and he stood up with Susan's help. "Who else disobeyed me?" he asked.

"There's me, Dean, Seamus, and Miriam" Susan told him. "The others are helping to sort out the mess" and then she asked Harry about what to do with the Death Eaters.

"We'll stun and bind them" Harry said, and that is what they did. Before the pair left the hall, they each cast a cleaning charm on the ooze of Voldemort's death. Together they went down to the dungeons where they met up with the others who had already set about freeing the prisoners.

"What's going on?" asked a man wearing ragged clothes.

"The war is over" Harry said, and the man hugged Harry tightly before being led away gently by Miriam.

"We saw what was left of the castle" Dean remarked. "I think that is going to take a long time in repairs" and Harry smiled grimly.

"They can send me the bill" he said, and after making sure the building was clear of hostages, Harry allowed himself to be taken to get medical help. Dean and Seamus said they would gather and watch over the Death Eaters who had survived until something could be arranged for them. As they went outside to apperate away, they turned to see the smoking ruins of Hogwarts resting in various parts of the Riddle Manor. Some of the main structure had survived the plunge and was now on fire. Harry turned away, and used the last reserves of strength to apperate to one of the safe houses.

#

"I'm telling you he is not ready to sit up yet!" a voice said firmly. Harry opened his eyes to clear the blackness away and say up.

"What is going on?" he asked groggily.

"Mr Potter!" it was Madam Pomfrey. "While I am glad to see the blood loss – mixed with the magical drain you suffered - didn't do you much harm, you should be lying down" but Harry shook his head.

"Somebody tell me what is going on" he said in a better voice.

"That bastard Dumbledore has gone to the Ministry, taken over and decided that he saved the entire country" Seamus spoke somewhere to his left. "He said that you killed him, but that he trained you and everything else. According to Dumbledore, all you did was just be a witness to Voldemort's defeat" and hate filled Harry. He got up off the bed he was lying in and got his wand off the table.

"He has the cheek to claim all of the glory after he and that stupid group of his ran way?" and Harry stormed out the door to the private room he was in at St Mungos. The press waited for him outside, but they backed off when they saw the murderous looks they received. "Who else is here?" asked Harry as he walked down the corridor.

"All of us, those two Aurors that told you about Dumbledore and Lupin, Daphne Greengrass and her sister and a number of other people" said Hannah. She had been by Harry's bedside like the others had been. They owed their lives to Harry as did the entire world – magical and muggle.

"Where are they?" Harry asked.

"On this floor" Dean told him. Harry only vaguely heard him as his mind worked. He found the room they were in from a Healer who was only too happy to help, and Harry strolled inside with a weak smile on his face.

"Hello everyone" Harry said cheerfully. The people in the beds looked at him like he was touched by a curse or something.

"Potter" Daphne nodded at him.

"I see it takes more then a couple of jinxes to kill your Slytherin arse, Greengrass" Harry chuckled.

"No more then it does yourself, Potter" Greengrass smiled. "So is this a courtesy call or what?" she enquired, and Harry's expression hardened.

"Dumbledore and his group have taken over the Ministry" he said to the room. "Dumbledore is trying to claim all of the glory by saying that he trained me, helped me to fight and all I actually did was finish him off. That man is no worse then Voldemort in some regards, and I think it is time for a change in leadership" the room looked at him before Astoria looked at him.

"I'm with you" she said. Daphne stared at her sister before through the covers off herself and standing upright.

"I'll go as well" the Slytherin replied.

"Are you seriously going to simply walk into the Ministry, go up to Albus Dumbledore, punch him in the jaw and then put him under arrest?" asked Auror Jackson.

"More or less" came Harry's reply.

"Well count us in" said Sharpe, and he and Jackson joined the party – saluting Harry as they did so.

"Excuse me?" came a little voice, and everyone turned to look at the two Ravenclaws who were looking at Harry. "Can we come too?" they asked.

"It is going to be dangerous" Harry warned them.

"Perhaps" reasoned the girl, "But we owe a debt to you" she added. Harry realised they must have made a magically binding debt to him.

"Okay then" he said at last. "Help me with this, and I'll say the debt is over with" and the pair beamed. "One thing though" and Harry waved his wand and they all wore robes instead of the pyjamas they had been clothed in – doing the same to himself. "How long have I been out for?" he asked.

"Only about five hours" replied Miriam. She had been given the chance to return home to America, but the girl had stated that her place was with Harry until he came around. With the rag tag fleet behind him, Harry had no trouble in getting past the waiting press and members of the public.

#

The atrium echoed with the sound of multiple pops, and people turned to look at the arrivals. The effects of the battle could still be seen, huge gaping holes covered the walls and support beams, parts of the ceiling were missing and the fountain of Magical Brethren was now a pile of scrap metal. When they **saw** Harry in the group, several Aurors moved towards him with wands drawn.

"Harry Potter? You are to be placed in protective custody" said the lead Auror.

"Custody? That'll make a mess out of your clothes" giggled Lavender.

"You will come with us" said the Auror again.

"Shut up Nymphadora" Harry said sharply, "I'm pissed at you already. You are no longer an Auror" and Harry looked at the other Aurors. "Place Auror Nymphadora Tonks under arrest for Conspiracy to Murder and Aiding and Abetting a Criminal" and they looked at each other.

"Put Harry under arrest for murder" Tonks said to her group. "This is on Dumbledore's orders" she added.

"Albus Dumbledore is a coward" Harry shot back. "He did fight when Voldemort started attacking the Ministry or Diagon Alley. When he attacked Hogwarts, the old bastard ran away. HE RAN AWAY!" he yelled. "He manipulates people into thinking they owe him a great deal, but nobody owes him anything at all. Now I've already killed people today, and I am not all that bothered if I add some more people to that total" and the Aurors looked at each other.

"Don't believe him!" shrieked Tonks, "Dumbledore said he had to leave because he was not prepared for an attack so soon. Potter is trying to mess with your minds" she added.

"Auror Tonks is under arrest" Harry said slowly, clearly and precisely. "Relieve her of her wand, put her in handcuffs and take her to a cell please" and the Aurors blinked before turning to face Tonks.

"You'll come with us" said one of them.

"Noooooooo" Tonks yelled, and she pointed her wand at Harry. Before the woman could cast a spell she was hit by multiple stunners.

"Take her away" said Jackson, and the Aurors complied with the order.

"Where is Dumbledore?" Dean asked.

"In the Minister's office" said one of the defecting Aurors.

"You can either be with us or be against us" Harry said. The Aurors decided to be on Harry's side, and the party took both lifts to the floor containing the Minister's office, and they encountered more people against them. Apart from a couple of Aurors, also present were Mr and Mrs Weasley, Ron, Ginny, Lupin and Dumbledore who smiled at Harry warmly.

"Harry, my dear boy" he began, "How nice it is to see you. You've come at the right time for Miss Weasley here is pregnant with your child at last, and we can get you two married" and Harry brought his wand to bear.

"Stop right there, Dumbledore" he said. "The only thing you will be doing is getting ready for your court case. You dare to claim that you all but defeated Voldemort?" anger was filling Harry's being. "Thousands of good people – wizard and witches alike – have died because you RAN AWAY. You and your fucking group of idiots simply ran away from the fight, you hid whiles people died to protect their freedom" Harry had to pause for breath.

"The Order didn't hide, we simply went to a location from where we could plot a counter attack" Ron said.

"And now that you are here, and that you are single again, we can become a family" Ginny snaked up to Harry and slid a hand onto his crotch.

"Summon a Healer" Harry said to Hannah.

"Why?" she asked.

"Ginerva needs medical attention" Harry said, and he punched Ginny square in the jaw which spun her around and into the desk. The other Weasleys drew their wands on Harry, but the rest of Harry's party drew _their_ wands and pointed at them. The Aurors also drew their wands but didn't fire.

"Stand down" said Sharpe in a tone that made them replace their wands.

"Well I'll forgive you that" said Dumbledore, "But now we must marry you to Ginny here" and Harry took a deep breath before speaking.

"As head of the Potter Family, holding five seats on the Wizendgamot and as the Headmaster of Hogwarts, I am hereby placing you under arrest on multiple charges of conspiracy to commit murder and others" this was the bit that Harry was looking forward to. "Albus Dumbledore, I have no to choice but to relieve you of command" and he turned to the Aurors who had joined them in the Atrium. "Prove yourselves to me by taking Dumbledore to the same cell block as Tonks is. While you're at it, put Remus Lupin under arrest for murder, Mr Weasley for conspiracy on the same charges as Dumbledore, Mrs Weasley on producing a restricted substance, Ron Weasley on attempted murder and fraud on the Potter Family" and the Aurors nodded and bound the people mentioned in thick ropes. As they floated Dumbledore out the office, both the First Year Ravenclaws kicked him in the nuts.

"You're a very bad man" they said in unison.

"What about me?" Ginny asked. "You didn't mention anything about me" and Harry spun around to face her.

"You essentially raped me" Harry said. "Now I don't know what the rules are for that in the magical world, but in the muggle one it is taken seriously. But I'm not going to punish you that way" he continued. "You still owe me a life debt, and I am calling it in again. You will go to a room with Dean, Seamus and the first year and do to them whatever they want" and Ginny's eyes widened in horror.

"Please no, Harry" she started crying. "I'll do anything but that" but her magic forced her to move to the door.

"WAIT!" Harry called loudly. "You see that I have power over you – I could kill you without any problems if I wanted to. I will not though. You will be taken to St Mungos and examined very carefully, and if you are lying again then I will put you on trial and you can spend the next million years in Azkaban" and Ginny blinked at him.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" she asked him quietly.

"I want you to keep out of my life. You and your family have caused me nothing but pain and suffering this year" Harry replied. "If I need you for anything, it would only be as a quick screw" and he gestured for her to be taken away.

"So who do we appoint as Minister?" asked Daphne.

"That would be Harry" said Parvati.

"How so?" asked the Slytherin.

"There is no head of the DMLE, the chief warlock is currently tied up and there are no other Ministry officials present in the building that we know of" reasoned the girl. "Harry can appoint himself the Minister if he wants" and Harry thought about to for a few moments.

"I'll be the Minister until elections can be held" he said at last. "Thank you for your help, if you have homes to go to then you can go there now. I am sure that your families must be worried about you" and most of them left except the Patil twins, Susan, Miriam and Dean. "You all staying then?" Harry asked.

"We've nowhere else to go" said most of them at the same time.

"I _have_ somewhere else to go" Dean said, and Harry shrugged, "But it's Peckham so I'm staying" and they all let out a much needed laugh.

**A/N:**

**And so ends the epic Chapter 21! I hope it was nice and long enough for you. To celebrate this epic chapter – which is 12,000 plus words long if you do not count the title or the Author Notes. The 10,000 word is marked in bold. I have also broken the record for references, with a grand total of **_**16**_** separate items hidden in this chapter. Some of them come from the same show, with some from the same episode/s. The only odd one out is a reference to my story Harry Potter True Friends. Once you have left a review, I will reply with the full list in order of how they appear. The person who gets the most by the time I post the 22****nd**** and final chapter wins a cameo speaking part.**

**This chapter is dedicated doubly this time around. The first is to **Midnight Angels** who has a cruise liner named after her, and also the Space Shuttle **Atlantis** which completed its last official mission last week.**

**I hope that the battle scenes were nice and bloody for your enjoyment – I certainly enjoyed writing them, even if I did start shaking when doing some of it! So… tell me what you think of it in your reviews please.**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	22. Aftermath Coup d'etat

**Aftermath / ****Coup d'etat**

Harry and the others remained at the Ministry for another hour and a half before they took the floo to Allcroft House. The first order of business was to make some tea, and they sat in the garden to drink it in the lovely sunshine. It seemed odd to be doing something like it after something so terrible, but Harry needed the time alone with people he liked. It also gave him enough time to think of something to say to the press that evening when he would announce Voldemort's death officially. After a little while Miriam went inside claiming she was feeling a little bit tired after the fighting, Harry told her he felt the same as she indoors.

"What are we going to do about Luna?" asked Parvati.

"I'll confer an Order of Merlin 1st Class of course" Harry said, "And have a private service attended by whoever knew really her best from school" Padma looked at him before nodding.

"I think she'd have liked that" she said.

"And I'll give Neville one as well. In fact I think I'll simply give everyone who died a 1st class medal. It is the least that we can do after what they gave up" Harry said, and he sipped his tea.

"Will you hold a public service for Luna?" asked Dean.

"Certainly not!" Harry said firmly. "People didn't understand Luna, so why should they pretend to at her funeral?" he asked.

"I'm going inside" said Susan, and the not so convincing tone wasn't lost on any of them. But as the red haired girl stood up, there was a crash from the upstairs rooms and Harry jumped up and rocketed towards the house – wand out and ready for use. He burst into the kitchen but saw nobody there. Harry and Susan raced upstairs to Susan's room – which she had shared – and found Miriam lying on the floor and not moving.

"Shit" Harry said, and he tried to stop Susan from coming in.

"MIRI!" Susan screamed and went to her girlfriend's side. "Wake up please" she begged. Harry performed a spell and found that Miriam had lost a lot of blood, had severe internal injuries and had only a faint pulse. Wasting no time at all, Harry grabbed Susan in one hand, Miriam in the other and apperated directly to St Mungos.

#

"We've got a lot of them sorted out" the healer said.

"But not enough" said Pomfrey. She had left with those people that had evacuated Hogwarts before the final battle had commenced. She was taking a moment's rest from treating all of the injured people when there was a tremendous explosion and every head in the ward turned to see what was going on. Harry, Miriam and Susan had appeared in the middle of the corridor and it was clear that Miriam was in need of help. This was confirmed when they heard Harry's shouting.

"I NEED HELP!" and the healers – those who were free – rushed over to assist. They took Miriam into a room whilst Harry and Susan waited outside. Only the healers came in or out as they worked on Miriam, and all the time Susan wept into Harry's body. An hour or so into the vigil the others had arrived in various states of dress, and Harry took the chance to stretch his legs for a moment. He walked down to the entrance to the ward and found a small detachment of Aurors standing guard. When they saw Harry approach, they jumped to their feet and saluted which made Harry shake his head.

"This isn't an official inspection" he told them. "I've a friend that's in here, and I can't find a good hot drink around here" and Harry joined them as they sat in the security checkpoint.

"Can we get you anything?" asked one of the Aurors. Harry was about to reply with a no when he smelt coffee.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked, and pointed to a coffee pot.

"Made it five minutes ago" said another Auror.

"What are your names?" Harry asked.

"Sean Connery"

"Roger Moore"

"Timothy Dalton"

"Pierce Brosnan"

"Make me a coffee with two sugars and I'll make you all Senior Aurors" and Harry laughed as he saw the five Aurors rush to the coffee pot. He talked to them for a while until Harry heard a high pitched scream. He and the Aurors jumped up and went to investigate and saw Susan rush past them with Hannah and the Patil twins in hot pursuit.

"Two of you go guard the doors to the ward" Harry ordered. "The other two to follow them lot and make sure they are safe" and the newly promoted Senior Aurors saluted and carried out Harry's instructions. Harry went to where Miriam was and found Dean and Seamus with pale faces.

"They've finished working on Miriam" said Dean.

"I'm guessing that it isn't good news" Harry said.

"The healers… well you better speak to Pomfrey" Seamus said, and Harry went in to see the healers. They turned to see him walk in, and Pomfrey took him aside to speak quietly.

"There isn't anything we can do" she told him softly. "If we had got to her quicker then maybe we had a chance. There was too much damage to be healed – even with all of the potions we have. I even floo called the Doctor at Salem but he agreed there was nothing that could be done. We operated for three hours and tried everything. We shut down one haemorrhage and another one starts. The girl suffered severe cranial trauma. It's compromised her brain stem. Unfortunately, even with all our magic, the brain is still a mysterious organ. She'll be awake until the moment she dies. Whether or not that is an advantage… I don't know. She's asleep now but when she wakes up, then she'll talk as good as you" and Harry could tell that she had seen too much death for the rest of her life.

"How long?" he asked.

"An hour or so" Pomfrey replied.

"I'll see her now" Harry said, and Pomfrey nodded and left the room. Harry went over to Miriam's bedside and sat in the chair that was next to the bed. She looked peaceful as she slept, and Harry was tired of his friends dying. Without saying a word, he withdrew the memory of the battle and copied it into his own mind. He was thinking of what to do later on when he heard a small voice.

"Harry?" Miriam was awake.

"I'm here" Harry held her hand and lightly brushed some hair away from her face.

"What's the matter?" she asked. "Why is everything so blurry?" and Harry hesitated. He didn't know if he should spare her the details of her pending death, or to tell her so she could prepare and compose herself.

"You got injured during the battle" Harry said. "You didn't seem ill afterwards so you didn't know something was wrong" and Miriam seemed a little frightened.

"It doesn't hurt" she said.

"The healers cast a pain numbing spell" Harry said.

"Is that why I can't feel my legs" Miriam's voice was little more then a frightened whisper.

"Yes" Harry battled the tears that threatened to burst from his eyes.

"What's going to happen? Will I be able to see again?" the question made Harry look away for a moment.

"I don't know" he replied. "I just have to nip outside a moment" and with a weak smile he left the room to find that Dean and Seamus waited outside for him. "Find Susan and bring her here. There isn't much time left so do it quickly" and he followed them as far as the doors. He found Connery and Moore at the checkpoint. "I want you to locate Rita Skeeter and place her under arrest. I don't care how you do it, but I want you to find her and hold her in maximum security for the next forty eight hours" and both Aurors nodded and vanished after Harry told them their replacements would arrive shortly. They came in the form of Dalton and Brosnan as they arrived with Susan, Hannah, Dean, Seamus and the Patil twins. Harry hugged Susan before she went in followed by the others. A couple of healers watched as they entered, and Pomfrey came over to them.

"Miss Patterson took a turn for the worst" she said. "It will only be a matter of minutes".

"Give her a pepper up" Harry said.

"I can't do that" Pomfrey said. "Apart from the fact that it would violate my oath as a Healer, it wouldn't do any good" and Harry shook his head.

"I know that" he said, "And I am fully aware about your oath. But I want it done" and Pomfrey refused.

"I can't do it" and Harry snapped.

"You're relieved of duty" he said, and then turned to the other healers. "Clear the room" and all the healers left the room. As they did so, Susan moved to Miriam's bedside.

"Susan?" Miriam whispered. "Is that you?" and Susan nodded.

"Yeah" she replied through tears.

"Susie, what's going to happen to me? When will I be able to see again?"

"I'm not sure. You're a very sick girl" Susan squeezed the hand of her girlfriend tightly as if she could heal her. "Did you know about what had happened?" she asked.

"I didn't want to upset you" Miriam said quietly. "Am I going to die?" she added.

"You… you're too sick to get better" Susan sobbed.

"So I'm going to die?" Miriam was on the verge of tears as she asked her lover.

"Yes" Susan couldn't help but tell the truth to her. Dean, Seamus, Hannah, Padma and Parvati stood a respectful distance around the bed. Harry did the same as he went over the memories from Miriam of the battle. He came upon a decision that he wouldn't ever regret later on

"If you'll stay with me" Miriam burst into tears, "I won't be afraid" and Susan sat on the bed and hugged her as best she could.

"I'll stay right here" she assured her. "I promise" and they talked to each other for a moment before Miriam's eyes darted around the room and she sniffed through the tears.

"It's getting darker" she murmured. "I'm sleepy" the girl added as she laboured for breath. Harry and the others knew this was Miriam's final moments, and Susan sobbed as she knew there was nothing to be done.

"It's alright. Go to sleep" she managed to say, "We're all right here" and Miriam smiled and then closed her eyes. With one little gasp and a final breath her head flopped to one side and she died. "Noooooooooooooooooooooooo" Susan lost it and began to cry uncontrollably, and she buried herself into Miriam's chest and cried and cried and cried. Hannah put a hand on her shoulder to let her know that someone was there for her. "Please wake up Miri… Please wake up!" and everyone was on the point of tears.

"Stay with Susan" Harry said, and he left the room without a comment. As he walked out the ward he picked up the four Aurors, flooed to the Ministry and headed to the Auror department. Jackson and Sharpe were sat behind desks.

"Can we do something for you?" asked Jackson.

"I want you to clear find out who is the senior surviving Ministry official after me, and then clear the Ministry apart from that person and the Aurors on duty here" Harry said. "When you have done that, join me in the Department of Mysteries" and Harry left with the six Aurors looking at each other. They did as they had been ordered, and found him waiting for them by the door which led to the passages.

"Odd place for a party" said Sharpe.

"One of my friends has died after being attacked by a Death Eater. I managed to find out who it was, and that person is currently being held in the maximum security cells" Harry said. "I want you to go there and bring this person back with you inside here" and the Aurors looked at the name that was on the parchment.

#

The atmosphere was very cold in the room. Harry's breath came out in clouds of mist as he watched the Aurors drag the prisoner into the freezing cold Department of Mysteries. Harry eyed the figure of Bellatrix LaStrange as she looked at him with a sneer.

"If you let me free, then I'll ask my master to be easy on you" she said.

"Voldemort is dead" Harry said. "The rest of your group are either dead or awaiting trial on multiple charges of treason, murder, rape, theft, assault… the list goes on. You are here not just because of that, but because of what you did to me" and Bellatrix laughed coldly.

"Lucius will get me set free" she spat. "And you can't punish me anyway. What would Britain think to the murder of a pureblood by a bunch of blood traitors and mudbloods?" she asked.

"Lucius is dead" Harry said, and he managed to keep the anger inside of him. "You cursed a friend of mine; caused her great pain and now she lies dead because of what you did. For that I will exact my vengeance and as Minister of Magic I hereby sentence you to death by firing squad" and he cast a sticking charm to Bella which slammed her against the wall.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Bellatrix shouted. "My death will result in the Dark Arts becoming more powerful then your so called good side. And what would the lumbering old fool Dumbledore say to all of this when you tell him?" she sneered again.

"Dumbledore is awaiting trial on many of the same charges" Harry said, and then he ordered the Aurors into position. "The use of the Killing Curse is now authorised. Ready…aim…_**FIRE!**_" and the same spell was used by all six Aurors.

"_Avada Kedavra_" and identical spells hit Bellatrix above the heart killing her instantly. As she slumped forward, Harry released the sticking charm, allowed her to fall to the stone floor and then pointed his wand at her head.

"_Bombarda_" and the spell caused her head to explode. The sound echoed through the room, and the Aurors watched as Harry looked at the remains before turning to them. "Dispose of her remains through the veil" and then Harry went to where he expected someone to be. He was surprised to see both Professor Marchbanks and Kingsley Shaklebolt in the office, and he looked at the Auror with hatred.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I am the Minister of Magic" Harry said shortly. "I asked for the senior person in the Ministry to be brought here, but I guess they found two people" he added.

"What do you want us for?" Marchbanks asked.

"A moment please, Professor" Harry said, and he called in the two Aurors on guard duty outside. "Auror Shaklebolt, you are hereby relieved of command of the Auror forces. You are also hereby relieved of duty. Aurors, place Mr Shaklebolt under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder and aiding and abetting amongst other things" Harry said, and the now dismissed Auror began to draw his wand from his robes but was stopped by the two Aurors who pointed their wands at him.

"Dumbledore will get me out of here" Shaklebolt said as he was taken away.

"I doubt that" Harry muttered.

"Well that was entertaining" said Marchbanks. Harry smiled grimly, and then sat behind the desk.

"I expect you wonder why I called you here" Harry said, and Marchbanks nodded.

"That was on my list of things to ask" replied the woman.

"I need somebody who is completely trustworthy, not afraid to speak their mind and from what I have read and from what little I know, that person is you" Harry said.

"Thank you, Mr Potter" said Marchbanks. "May I ask for what honour you require me for?" and Harry didn't answer for a moment.

"I would like for you to become my Deputy Minister for Magic" Harry said, and watched as Marchbanks flapped her mouth repeatedly.

"It would be my pleasure" she said.

"Now that you have accepted" Harry said, "This is for you" and he handed over an envelope.

"What is it?" asked Marchbanks.

"That is my letter of resignation" Harry said, and he got up from the seat and gestured between it and Marchbanks.

"But why?" asked the astounded woman.

"People whom I have loved, liked and trusted have died because of this war. I am a widower, Madam Marchbanks. My wife was murdered by Remus Lupin – one of my father's friends – on Dumbledore's orders. They did it because they assumed I would think Voldemort and go to them for support and advice. I lost another three of my friends in the last day and a half because of a stupid fool that believed in power and cruelty to get what he wanted. I have seen innocent men, women and children killed while they stayed behind to fight. I saw hundreds and maybe even thousands of people wiped out because of the fact that I choose to stand up to Voldemort. Because they knew their sacrifice would buy me more time in order to defeat him. Though I didn't cause it, their blood is on my hands. I have stared death in the face so many times, that I am now on first named terms with him. I stood on the line, I looked into the darkness, saw the evil and decreed no more. I battled Voldemort and won. The question is though: at what cost? During the battle over Riddle Manor, I saw the wounded and heard the screams of the injured and the dying. Those sounds will haunt me for a very long time. Every night when I sleep, I will remember those sounds. I am a widower, Madam. I am a man who lost three friends, somebody I considered the finest Deputy Headmistress that Hogwarts had in many years and my two house elves whom I considered as part of the family. I have had enough of this, and all I want is to be left alone for a while. In my letter, you'll find a list of people I recommend should get Order of Merlin medals. If you want to do one thing for me, then give them to those who deserve them" and Marchbanks watched as Harry walked out of the office and listened to his footsteps echo away down the corridor.

"We failed Harry Potter" she said to an empty office.

#

Harry didn't speak to anybody as he left the Ministry, and he flooed back St Mungos where he found the remainder of his friends stood outside where Miriam's body remained.

"What did you do?" asked Dean.

"I found out who had attacked Miriam, went to the Ministry and had them executed and their remains put through the veil" Harry said, and Dean looked at the lack of emotion from that statement. "Is Susan inside?" he asked nobody in particular.

"Yeah" said Lavender. She had been unable to get to the magical hospital before Miriam's death, and had therefore missed Harry heading for the Ministry by a matter of seconds. "They wanted to do an autopsy on Miriam to see what had killed her, but Susan refused to let that happen, she is in there getting Miriam ready for her…" she trailed off.

"Right" said Harry. "It will be in the papers later, so I might as well tell you now. I appointed Madam Marchbanks as Deputy Minister and then resigned immediately afterwards. I want to spend time grieving properly and not have to deal with the stupid goings on of the Wizarding world." and they all agreed with what Harry had done. It wasn't long until Susan came out of the room and Hannah put an arm around her in order to comfort her.

"Take her to our home" Harry said, and Hannah nodded and led Susan away followed by the girls amongst them. Dean and Seamus stood either side of Harry acting like body guards, and he dealt with preparations for Miriam's funeral. He decided that there would be a private service for her, Luna and Neville as they knew them the best. Harry asked the Healers to seal the room and make sure that Miriam didn't degrade until a coffin was made for her. As they left to go to Allcroft House they saw Jackson and Sharpe on the doors, and both of them snapped to attention and brought their hands to their foreheads. "I've quit. I'm no longer the Minister, so lose the salute" Harry told them.

"We wanted to thank you for saving our lives" said Jackson.

"If there is anything we can do for you" added Sharpe.

"I'm not the Minister and I'm not an Auror so I can't give you an order" Harry said. "But if you would like to do something for me in your own time, would you please stand guard over the door to Miriam please? Don't go in at all, but simply cast anti apparition and anti portkey spells so nobody tries to move her with Susan's say so" and the Aurors nodded, saluted despite what they had been told, and moved to carry out Harry's request. Harry, Dean and Seamus flooed to their shared home and left behind a broken and badly damaged world.

#

"Why her?" Susan asked Harry. "Why her and not me?" and Harry didn't know what to do. In response he simply patted his knee and Susan came over and sat on his lap and hugged him.

"I… I don't…" Harry hesitated. He decided to tell the truth about what had happened to Miriam. "She put herself in front of you because Miriam didn't want you to get hurt. She loved you a great deal" and there was a slight pause.

"How do you know?" asked the girl.

"Because before she came round, I took some of her memories, copied them, put the originals back into her mind and then went over the attack in my own mind" Harry said. "I found out who caused her death and… dealt with it" he added.

"Who?" came the question.

"It was Bellatrix. I had her taken from the Ministry cells to the Department of Mysteries and executed her by a firing squad of Aurors" Harry said, and he felt Susan press her face into his chest deeper and she tightened her grip around him. Harry simply kissed the top of her head, stroked her back and gave a great deal of comfort to her.

"Harry?" she asked after a long silence.

"Yeah?"

"Does it ever get better?" Susan asked him.

"For a long time afterwards you'll have Survivors' Guilt. You will wonder why you survived and why Miri didn't. When I lost Hermione I wondered what I would do without her. But I had the help and support of my friends to get me through the dark moments" and Harry felt and heard Susan sniff. "Every time you hear, see or smell certain things in the near future, you'll be reminded of Miriam. That will lessen as weeks go by, but as long as you cherish and love the moments you spent with her, then Miriam will never truly die" and they spent another hour holding each other as they thought about their loved ones.

#

"Will you do it?" asked Madam Marchbanks.

"Of course" said Jackson.

"I want you to get a cast iron case against them" Marchbanks said to him. "I don't care how you do it – as long as it is legal – just make sure those bastards are going down. Talk to each of them, offer them time in Azkaban if they give us names, places dates… you know the drill" and Jackson nodded.

"I'll draft people in from other departments" he said.

"We failed Harry Potter twice" said the newest Minister, "We will _not_ fail him _again_"

#

The ticking of the clock penetrated the silence which was only broken by the sniffs and sobs of Susan. Harry looked at the time and decided that they had better go to bed and hope for a better day tomorrow.

"I'll take you to your room" he said, and Susan slipped off his lap and stood up.

"Harry?" she whispered. "I want you to tell me something, and I want you to tell me the truth. Why did you send me back when you took on Voldemort?" and Harry sighed.

"Because I didn't want the surrogate mother of my child to be harmed" Harry said, and Susan gasped before flinging her arms around Harry's neck and kissing him on the cheek.

"Do you mean it?" she asked.

"I do" Harry assured her, "And I am certain that Hermione would have approved" and Harry looked at the time again. "What do you say to getting the guys together and going out for a good old fashioned pub crawl?" he said. Susan blinked and frowned at Harry until she got what he meant.

"I'll get changed" she said, and she went to the room she had shared until recently with Miriam. Harry chuckled and then went to wake up those that had been sleeping.

"What do you want?" asked a sleepy sounding Lavender.

"Susan and I have had enough of all the shit piled on top of us" Harry said, "So we're going out and getting smashed. Do any of you care to join us?" and everyone woke up quickly enough. The group didn't crawl back in until seven the next morning, and they went to sleep for several hours before waking up and ready to face the Undiscovered Country.

#

"_Do you know what the charges are?"_

"_Yes"_

"_Do you understand them?"_

"_Yes"_

"_It is the judgement of this court that you are…"_

**A/N:**

**Well I know I said this would be the last chapter, but things happened that made me do otherwise.**

**Observant watchers of Star Trek Voyager will notice that most of the St Mungos scenes are from the episode **_Real Life_**. I watched it and thought that with a few tweaks here and there it could make another chapter up for me. That is the first reference:- here is the other. The names of the Aurors Harry meets in the hospital are the names of actors who played a certain character in a famous series of films.**

**I thought, with the rapid changes that went on here that you would need a short version of what happened over the last two chapters:**

**Voldemort finishes plans for the attack – Launch of attack the following day by Death Eaters. Platform 9 ¾ attacked first followed by Diagon Alley and several other key locations.**

**Dumbledore and OOTP go into hiding - The Ministry falls when Fudge surrenders (Voldemort kills him) – Harry and group learn of the attack.**

**Hogwarts is attacked, but attack is repulsed by timely arrival of Harry and group (death of Luna Lovegood, fatal cursing of Minerva McGonagall and Miriam Patterson) – Harry faces Voldemort and manages to injure him**

**He retreats with his forces to Riddle Manor along with a large number of hostages – Harry and group attempt rescue but are defeated (Neville sacrifices himself to save Harry's life) – Harry devises a plan to assault Voldemort's forces and asks for Volunteers – Hogwarts is flown directly over the manor and the attack is launched**

**With Hogwarts severely damaged and Harry orders everyone to abandon the castle – With only him remaining, he rams it into the shield protecting Riddle Manor (Harry apperates out several seconds before it collides with the shield) – Harry storms Riddle Manor on his own and kills any Death Eater he sees**

**Confrontation of Voldemort and Harry results in Voldemort destroyed – With no person in charge, Dumbledore and the OOTP arrive at the Ministry and Dumbledore announces himself as the new Minister**

**Upon learning of this, Harry and group (along with the assistance of several injured Hogwarts students and a pair of Aurors) goes to the Ministry – Nymphadora Tonks and several other Aurors attempt to arrest Harry on Orders of Dumbledore – After a brief argument, the other Aurors place Tonks under arrest and switch sides**

**Harry leads his group to the Minister's office. He then proceeds to lead an armed coup d'etat and deposes Dumbledore from office. Harry also places both him, Remus Lupin and a few members of the Weasley family under arrest on multiple charges – Harry returns to Allcroft House but Miriam's curse affects her and she falls to the floor. She is taken along with Susan to St Mungos but dies shortly after arrival**

**Immediately after her death, Harry (having already ordering the arrest/detention of Rita Skeeter) returns to the Ministry, orders the building shut down and the most senior person brought to the Minister's office. While this goes on, Harry and a number of people who had joined forces with him head down to the Department of Mysteries. Harry then executes Bellatrix LaStrange by Auror firing squad – After discovering Kingsley Shaklebolt in his office, Harry relieves him of duty and orders his arrest – He then appoints Griselda Marchbanks as Deputy Minister and then resigns from office which made Marchbanks Minister by rule of succession.**

**Hope That Helps!**

**I do wish this chapter met with your approval, and if you want clues for the final chapter, then think about the following three things: Medals, Funerals and Weddings. I think the next chapter will be a good 20,000 words long, so don't expect an update so soon! The next updates will be for some of my specialist fics which I want to finish off before I reveal something important to everyone.**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	23. A Big Decision

**A Big Decision**

Miriam's funeral was a quiet affair, and she was buried with Harry's parents and the Grangers at Godric's Hollow. Susan had held on to Harry and/or Hannah all through the service while Harry only paid brief attention to what was going on. In the morning, he was going to visit the Ministry to find out the results of the examinations that had been done on Ginny. In the meanwhile he was going over all of the money that he had in his vaults, and Harry tried to come up with different ways to spend some of it. Four million of it was put aside to pay for the funerals of those people whose entire families had died. The Aurors had nearly dropped to the ground after Harry attended all 87,603 funerals, and when asked why he insisted on going to the funerals of some of the Death Eaters he had replied with: "Almost nobody deserves to be buried alone" and this caused more then a few eyebrows to be raised in wizarding circles.

"Decided on anything yet?" asked Parvati as she flopped into a chair and turned the TV on. The screen was blank for a moment, and then settled on a programme about the newest film about the _Titanic_.

"I have now" said Harry with a small smile.

"Oh? What is…" Parvati looked from Harry, to the TV and then back again. "You can not be serious!" she exclaimed. "You want to raise the Titanic?" and the girl wondered if she should call for specialist mind Healers.

"I am, and I've got enough to do it" Harry said. "And it doesn't matter anyway. All I have to do is brew some Luck potion, and I'm away with the fairies" and Harry smiled warmly as he outlined his plan. To her credit, Parvati listened to everything before speaking.

"I think you'll need more then one _Repairo_" she remarked.

#

Harry woke early the next morning and showered, dressed and then went down to breakfast which was being cooked by the Patil twins. Only they and Susan remained at Allcroft House as the others had gone to spend the rest of the holidays with their families as was only right.

"Morning" he said, and he sat down to a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, Cumberland Sausage, mushrooms, beans, fried tomatoes, fried bread and lots of it.

"Hi" greeted the twins.

"Susan said she'll be down later" Parvati said.

"Right" Harry said between mouthfuls. "I want to leave before she comes down" he added.

"Oh? Why's that?" asked Parvati.

"You two both know what is going on today" said Harry. "Apart from the whole clusterfuck with Ginny, I'm also facing the prospect of seeing Dumbledore and Lupin being tried" and Harry rubbed his hands together. "Aren't I a lucky guy?" and the twins looked at each other.

"You want one of us to come with you?" Padma said.

"I'm going to be there all day you know" Harry said, finishing his breakfast and pushing the plate away. "I don't want to push into your time" and the girls giggled at Harry's thinking.

"I'll come with you" said Padma. "Parvati can do the whole looking after Susan thing if she doesn't mind" and her sister mock glared at her.

"You're lucky I don't mind" she said. Harry thanked them both and went to the study for all of the documents he needed. Padma was waiting for him by the fireplace in the sitting room dressed in a very smart looking set of robes.

"Ready to go?" Harry asked.

"All set" the girl said. Two flares of green fire later and both of them had arrived at the Ministry.

#

"Good morning, Mr Potter" said Jackson as Harry and Padma came into his office.

"I must be invisible" Padma said to Harry. "At least there is one gentleman in the room" she added. Jackson knew his error and tried to correct it.

"I'm sorry, Miss…" he didn't actually know Padma at all. All he knew was that she had been at the final battle and had been aboard Hogwarts before its final plunge into Riddle Manor.

"The name's Patil… Padma Patil" Padma paraphrased James Bond.

"Well it is nice to meet you properly" said Jackson. "Now I assume that Mr Potter has told you what is going to happen today" he said.

"Harry told me most of what would happen" Padma said.

"Well the first thing on the agenda is to read the report on Miss Weasley" Jackson began. "Then this afternoon will have the joint trials of Dumbledore and Lupin" and Harry thought about something.

"How good a case do you have?" he asked.

"Well with the Ministry in the state it is in, we've not been able to do much. But what we've found is that the Records Department was completely intact, so we've gone through all of the files where Dumbledore was either the presiding judge or some other participant" Jackson told him.

"What about Lupin?" asked Padma. She couldn't believe that somebody as seemingly good as Lupin had bee the person to kill Hermione.

"From our questioning we've discovered that Lupin did it on Dumbledore's orders. It seems that they wanted you to feel that your wife's death was you fault, and that you'd come to them and do what they wanted you to do. That would include marrying Miss Weasley and then fathering a child" Jackson added.

"Do you have any of the files here" asked Harry.

"I do as it happens" Jackson pointed to the several thick folders on his desk.

"Can we have a look at them?" asked Padma, but Jackson shook his head.

"I couldn't allow that I'm afraid" he said. "But I need to use the toilet" and he got up and left the office and went the opposite way to the toilets. Harry and Padma took the hint and they copied the files quickly and then shrunk them to read later. After ten minutes Jackson came back in.

"Long time" Harry said poker faced.

"Yes…" Jackson replied. "I see you didn't move the files" he added.

"We never touched them" Padma said. She was just the right side of not laughing at what had just happened.

"You better go to the courtroom now" said the Auror. "Miss Weasley is due there any minute" and the pair left the office with Sharpe following close behind them.

"I don't need anyone to act as my bodyguard" Harry told him.

"I know" Sharpe replied.

"So get out of here" Harry said firmly. "I'm not the Minister anymore, so I don't rate an escort" he added.

"We all owe you a great deal, Mr Potter" the Auror said, pushing a giant set of doors open with a flick of his wand. "I know you are not the Minister, but this is one the things we can do to help you" and they passed through the doors and continued t a single lift. This was a lift used only by the Minister when he or she wanted to get to a floor quickly. Harry and Padma rolled their eyes at the treatment they received but went inside anyway. Sharpe pressed the button for the bottom floor, and in very little time they had arrived near Courtroom Ten. Two Aurors that Harry vaguely remembered from the battle at Hogwarts stiffened as the small group passed. As the ornate doors to the courtroom opened, Harry and Padma could hear the talking of both the members of the press and members of the public.

"Bet you wished for a quiet session" Padma whispered to Harry who simply nodded.

"ATTENTION ON DECK!" Sharpe said loudly, and the talking evaporated and everyone looked at Harry and Padma, though it was more at Harry then the latter. "LORD GRYFFINDOR ARRIVING" and the Aurors who had been stationed inside on security detail became ramrod straight and brought their hands up into a smart salute. Harry went briefly red in the face before snapping a salute off back to them.

"As you were" he said with a nod. Sharpe led Harry and Padma to a small box which gave a good view of the courtroom. With the muttering of a password, the box shimmered for a moment before cloaking itself and turning invisible. Harry watched as Padma looked around the private box, and smiled faintly as she opened a small locker.

"Ooh" she said delightedly, "Crisps, popcorn and cola" and Padma assumed that somebody had stocked it for them.

#

They didn't have to wait long until they brought Ginny into the courtroom. She was wearing a bright orange set of robes, had chains on her legs and was in handcuffs. A small box attached to her left ankle made Harry suspect she had a magical suppresser on as well. Clearly Marchbanks was taking no chances at all with Ginny. At the same time what was left of the Wizendgamot filed in and took their seats. Marchbanks took the place of the Chief Witch.

"This court is now in session" she banged the gavel. "This is the case of Harry Potter versus Ginerva Molly Weasley. The prisoner has been examined by three independent healers and deemed fit to stand trial" and Marchbanks banged the gavel again.

"I demand you let me go" Ginny said defiantly. "Professor Dumbledore promised me immunity for anything I did" and Marchbanks glared at her.

"_Mr_ Dumbledore no longer presides over this court" she told the younger witch. "What ever deal he offered you no longer exists" and the Minister looked at her paper work before glancing back at the youngest Weasley. "Ginerva Molly Weasley, you are accused of the following charges: Attempted Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Aiding and Abetting, Theft, Conspiracy to Commit Fraud, Deception with Intent, Attacking the Lord Gryffindor, Conspiracy to Attack the Lord Gryffindor, Attacking the Lady Gryffindor – to – be, Conspiracy to Attack the Lady Gryffindor – to – be, Conspiracy to Attack the Head of a Most Ancient and Noble House, Bribery, Corruption, Cowardice in the Face of the Enemy, Conspiracy to use Unforgivables, Putting Harry Potter into a really bad mood" that one got a good laugh from the watching press and public, "Attempted Hostage taking, Conspiracy to take a Hostage, Littering, Falsifying official documentation, Attempting to break up a family, Perverting the Course of Justice, Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice and Deception" Marchbanks took a few moments to regain her composure and regain her breath, then she looked at Ginny. "How do you plead?" she enquired.

"Not Guilty" came the reply.

"So noted" Marchbanks said. "Does anybody wish to stand as defence?" and only one person nodded.

"I'll do it" and a tall red haired figure rose from the bench and went to where Ginny still stood. "I'll defend my sister" said Percy.

"Very well" Marchbanks said. "Remove the prisoner's leg restraints and handcuffs" she ordered, and an Auror came forward to do the job. Ginny rubbed her sore wrists which felt slightly hot as the cool air hit them. She and Percy sat down behind a desk which contained copies of the evidence. Ginny had already seen it the day before the trial, so she went over it with Percy while Marchbanks spoke to the court about a minor procedural issue. When she was done, Marchbanks nodded to Jackson who Harry had failed to see slip inside the courtroom. He moved to the table for prosecution and began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the case here today is a simple enough one. Miss Weasley has attempted to do almost unthinkable things to Harry Potter. She followed Dumbledore's orders in trying to poison him. My fellow Aurors have had large supplies of love potion found at Miss Weasley's home examined by Healers and they discovered that the vials contained enough strength to fatally poison Mr Potter after no more then four or five doses" Jackson looked at Ginny for a moment before switching back to the Wizendgamot. "Professor Dumbledore, who will be tried later today, asked Miss Weasley to carry Mr Potter's child so that when he was murdered by them or another person, they could get their hands on the Potter fortune. At 9.30 this morning that stood at 900 Billion plus" and Percy stood up.

"Objection" he called. "My sister was duped and mind controlled via spell work to follow Dumbledore's orders. She cares for Harry a great deal and would never have harmed him if she could've helped it. This evidence could have been faked to convict Ginny" and there was a moment or three of muttering.

"The evidence was kept under guard by Goblins at Gringotts" said Marchbanks. "This court thanks them for their assistance in this case" but Percy wasn't having any of it.

"I insist that it is faked" he said firmly, and Ginny nodded in agreement with her brother.

"If it is faked" said a voice, "Then I'm your mother. And if I was your mother, then I'd have thrown you off the top of Mount Everest" Griphook added, and he smiled showing his newly sharpened and pointed teeth Percy decided to not speak about that anymore.

"Objection overruled" said Marchbanks, and Percy sat down.

"I do not cast a slur about this court, but the Weasley family have always been greedy about money. They would stop at nothing to get their hands on it, so murder and what amounts to rape is no big deal to them" Jackson continued. "I submit to the court that when Albus Dumbledore put forth the idea and plan to gain control of the Potter vaults, Miss Weasley agreed to use her body to carry Mr Potter's child. Then when the child was born, he would meet with an unfortunate accident with a broom" and Harry looked at Padma.

"So that is how they planned it then" he whispered to her.

"Looks like it" she agreed.

"I was rather hoping for the old story of having sex and then – just after I came – being killed" Harry shrugged. Jackson and Percy argued the case backwards and forwards, and then after a good three hours of talking Percy rose from his seat.

"I believe that the accused has the right to face her accuser" he said.

"You are correct" Marchbanks nodded.

"Then I suggest that my sister be released into my care until Mr Potter can be asked to attend" Percy said smugly.

"No need" said a voice, and Harry appeared as if by apperating into the room. "I'm here, Mr Weasley, and I've heard everything that went on" Harry went over to the witness box and made to stand in it. "And I wouldn't think about cursing me either. PADMA!" and Padma appeared in the same place that Harry had appeared in. She had her wand out but by her side. The watching press and members of the public snickered and sniggered as they knew that Harry and Padma had been listening and watching everything that was going on. It was rather fun to see two red heads do an impression of goldfish. An Auror came up to Harry and told him to raise his hand.

"Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" she asked.

"I promise to tell the truth so far as much as I know it to be truthfully the truth" Harry said.

"A simple yes would have sufficed" Marchbanks said.

"I didn't want there to be a mistake" Harry replied. Percy stood up and began to question Harry closely with many personal questions.

"Do you like purebloods, Mr Potter?" he said.

"Yes" Harry replied.

"What about young pureblood witches?" Percy pushed.

"Some" Harry knew what he was doing, and he certainly wasn't going to sing to that hymn sheet.

"Some?" repeated Percy. "So there are some that you don't like then?" and Harry grinned.

"I'm only sixteen" he said cheerfully, "I haven't had chance to know them all in that way yet" and the entire viewing gallery burst into laughter, and Marchbanks had to use several deep booms from her wand to restore order.

"Please restrict yourself to answering the question" she said to Harry.

"I do apologise" Harry bowed to Marchbanks. "I just assumed Mr Weasley was asking about the number of sexual partners I had" and Marchbanks only just stopped from laughing herself.

"I must protest, Minister" Percy said, "Mr Potter is making a mockery of this court" he added.

"Can we get on with this trial please?" whined Ginny. "I want to get out of these ugly robes" she added.

"I would keep quiet, young lady. Things do not look too good for you at the moment" said a member of the Wizendgamot. Ginny looked furious but became silent as she was told to do. Percy questioned Harry for a full hour – Jackson asked nothing at all – and Harry walked out of the witness box.

"Perhaps you can find a better wife, Mr Potter" Percy said, and there was a gasp from the almost everyone in the room. Harry paused in mid-stride and swung his leg to the side so he turned back to face the elder of the two Weasleys.

"What did you say?" Harry hissed.

"I only remarked that you might find a better wife then the one you had for only a matter of hours" Percy said. "I am sure that Ginny here would take you back if you dropped all the charges" and Ginny put on her best expression of love and lust. Harry's hand went slowly down to his wand, withdrawing it so that everyone could see what was going on, Harry brought it to bear on Percy.

"You, sir, have insulted the memory of Hermione Jane Potter – my wife. I assume that you will not apologise?" Harry asked.

"I will not" Percy said.

"Then I have no choice but to ask for satisfaction" Harry said. Percy became slightly pale for a while as he realised what he had said. It was deservedly given, he thought, but he never expected Harry to call him out.

"A duel?" Marchbanks was wide eyed. "I will not allow it" she added.

"With respect, Minister, this is nothing to do with you. This is between myself and Percy" Harry told her.

"I accept your challenge" said Percy boldly, and then he thought of how to get the magical suppressor removed from Ginny. "I will need my second to be freed" he added.

"An Auror will act as your second" Marchbanks said. one of the other members of the Wizendgamot had whispered that duels had to be allowed to take place. Percy was angry about the failure, but he nodded in acceptance and an Auror came over and took position behind and to the left of him.

"Padma?" Harry began.

"Goes without saying" she cut him off.

"You do know that this is one of the only times u can use an unforgivable?" Harry said to Percy. "I looked it up yesterday. A duel under these circumstances also allows me to cast the killing curse" and this was all confirmed. Marchbanks ordered the floor to be cleared, and the viewing people placed behind screens which would absorb spells cast.

"What are you going to do to him?" asked Padma to Harry.

"I'm just going to hurt him a bit" he replied. "Nothing too bad you know, but something that will fulfil honour" and they saw that Percy was ready to begin. "I thank you for your assistance" Harry bowed to Padma formally.

"It is my pleasure" she replied with an incline of her head. Percy and Harry squared each other up before Marchbanks created a deep booming noise.

"BEGIN!" she said loudly.

"_Impedimeta_" Percy cast.

"_Serpentsortia_" Harry shot back. Percy dodged the flying snakes and banished them back to Harry. They vanished with one wave and he sent back a bludgeoning jinx which grazed Percy's left arm.

"_Crucio_" despite the fact that Unforgivables were allowed, everyone gasped at the actual casting. Harry felt he was like on fire, all his nerves burned and it was like one hit been hit by an electric shock. Percy kept the spell going for a full minute before releasing Harry from the effects. He dropped to the floor panting heavily. "Care to give up?" Percy taunted him.

"Never" Harry forced out. He got to his feet and hit his opponent with a bright yellow spell with slammed Percy into a very thick stone pillar. Waving off all help, Harry made careful movements over to where the elder Weasley lay in a heap. As he watched half dazed, Percy saw his wand being kicked away and stamped on by Harry's right foot.

"Wh… Wha…" he couldn't finish the sentence. All of a sudden everyone saw him rise into the air and shake around like a rag doll before slamming repeatedly into the pillar many times. When he was satisfied, Harry let him fall to the stone floor and he advanced with his wand drawn.

"I could kill you know, Percy" he said and pressed his wand tip into the older man's temple. "I could cast the killing curse, but I never would do that. Not even for a low life piece of Death Eater scum like you" and Harry kicked him powerfully in the ribs which could be heard to shatter and break.

"Death Eater?" Jackson said. He didn't get what Harry had meant.

"Percy Weasley is a Death Eater" Padma cottoned on quickly, and she ripped the arms off Percy's robes. His right arm showed the Dark Mark clearly enough. Nearly everyone backed away as if he was diseased, and the Aurors pounced on him and dragged him off to the cells. Ginny broke down into tears as she saw her last chance of escape being dragged away. Padma looked at her with very little pity and then gazed at a heavily battered Harry. "You alright?" she asked.

"I've had enough" Harry said. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" he yelled louder. "The wizarding world has always had it in for me, so that is it. I am leaving the magical world until such time as I deem you are sorry for all the lies, slander and hurt you have caused me, my wife and my friends" and he motioned to Padma to hold on to his arm tightly. "I have one last thing to say" he said this to Marchbanks.

"What is that?" she said quietly.

"Get some better wards set up" and he apparated with Padma on his arm.

"Shit" everyone said at once. Nearly everyone was guilty of what Harry had accused them of, and now their only hope of salvation from evil had decided to leave the wizarding world and might never come back again.

#

They held the Portkeys in their hands, thought about what they would be doing and reached a decision. They got up from wherever they had heard the broadcast of the trial on the WWN, went to their bedrooms and packed their trunks with everything they owned. Gripping the Portkeys tightly, each said a particular two word code-key.

"_Rogue Squadron_"

**A/N:**

**What a twist! I bet some of you didn't expect that did you? Well nothing to really mention in the way of references except the last two words. Anyone want to guess? In case you wondered who spoke the words, it is everyone who wasn't present at Allcroft House in the morning.**

**Regarding Chapter 21, I had a list of 16 referances for you to find. Here they all are in order:**

Doctor Who – "End of Time" – The message Luna reads.

Battlestar Galactica – Miniseries – part of the wireless message

Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force (the game) – Neville's death.

Battlestar Galactica – Daybreak part 1 – The walk from Gryffindor tower to the hall.

Harry Potter True Friends – Ben and Rudi ( the two Ravenclaws that Harry thinks he knows) are my own characters that appear in that fic

The Last Starfighter – Dean's remark about the firepower from the castle.

Battlestar Galactica – Daybreak part 2 – Harry calling out the last portkey.

Battlestar Galactica – Miniseries – part of the speech Harry gives prior to jumping the castle.

Battlestar Galactica – Daybreak part 2 – as above

Battlestar Galactica – Exodus – the order to launch… launch them all

Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi – Dean mentioning the trap and that they can't repel firepower of that magnitude. (that line I just added as it was too good to miss)

Star Trek TNG – "1000011100" – How Harry orders everyone to Abandon Hogwarts

Independence Day – Harry praying the castle stays together long enough to be destroyed

Doctor Who – Parting of The Ways – "Emergency Program One"

Wizard of Oz – Voldemort's Death

The Boat That Rocked – Dean saying he had somewhere else to go, but would rather stay because of where the place was. (I think in the USA it was called Pirate Radio)

**I hope you find them all!**

**The next chapter up should be **_**I'm Not Going**_** now that I've got it back from my test reader and long time friend.**

**In the next chapter for this fic, Harry buys a sunken vessel, travels back in time by a few hours and also brings a case of adultery against a certain member of the British royal family. If we've anyone in who gets **_**THAT**_** then you know who I mean. All others will have to wait.**

**If I made any mistakes, then sorry but I'm not correcting them. I am after all only human (well ¾ Human ¼ Timelord but who cares?).**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	24. WTTTTWOMHJPAHTMWCWHDTLTMWFAW

**Welcome To the Topsy Turvy World Of Mr Harry James Potter, And How The Magical World Copes With His Decision To Leave The Magical World For A While – Part 1**

**Or**

**Chapter 24 (take your pick of titles)**

The press went mad over Harry's announcement to leave the magical world, and this caused problems for Marchbanks. While it might have been possible to cover this up, the trial – or lack of – had been broadcast on the WWN on the insistence of Marchbanks who wanted an openness that had not been seen in the previous two administrations. Most of the magical community had been listening to the broadcast, and all feared that Harry might not save them from another Dark Lord. Kingsley Shaklebolt had led a small number of people in arguing that Harry should be arrested by the Ministry, locked away in a secure location and forced to fight for the light side in future conflicts. Jackson and Sharpe had led a force of twenty Aurors to arrest him and they very happily silenced him, put him into a trunk and took him to the Maximum Security cells at the Ministry.

"You know this is turning into quite a good show" said Padma as she folded the paper.

"I would have thought that after the first week they would have got the hint I didn't want to be found" Harry said. He was glad that no one at the Ministry had been able to find Allcroft House in the many records kept in whatever department they might be in. It was a month after the dramatic vanishing act that Harry had performed along with Padma, and still the press looked for him.

"Will you ever come back?" asked Padma quietly. Harry didn't answer for so long that Padma assumed he would never do so. But as she was heading to the library, Harry started to speak.

"Perhaps" he said, "Perhaps I will one day. But I just want to be myself. Not the boy-who-lived, but simply as Harry Potter. Maybe I need a few weeks or a few months away… that's all" and Harry turned and smiled at the former Ravenclaw student who felt some of the old Harry had returned. As she headed for the library, Padma knew that he would be his normal self again.

#

"You want to do _**WHAT?**_" asked the man.

"I am being perfectly serious" said Harry in reply.

"She'd break apart before you got more then thirty feet above the ocean floor. Then nobody would ever be able to see her again except as rusty scrap metal" the man Harry was meeting with was astounded about his proposal.

"I assure you that the work could be done in under two weeks" Parvati said.

"And what do you plan to do with her after you get her up?" asked the man. While he wanted to keep ownership of the vessel, he did have a £2 Billion offer to sell the _Titanic _to Harry.

"Mr Potter's plan is to complete its maiden voyage, Mr Lovett" Hannah said to him. Lovett scoffed as he couldn't quite believe the absurdness of the whole situation.

"I suppose you'll tell me it is all going to be done with magic" he said.

"More or less" said Harry seriously. Lovett would never know how accurate he was with that statement.

"How do you plan to join the two halves together?" Lovett had already decided to take the offer, but he wanted to see what was going to happen first.

"I intend to weld it under water using wet steel" said Harry. He looked for a long while at Lovett's face, and the other man was forced to look away as he saw the blazing passion of Harry's eyes.

"Alright, Mr Potter" Lovett said. "If that is what you want, then the _RMS Titanic_ belongs to you now" and he signed the papers.

#

Harry and the group all took time to enjoy the summer on the Island of Sodor, and Harry found it refreshing to not have to worry about any dark lords that might come a calling. As Harry, Susan, Hannah and Dean watched the trains going by in the distance from an upstairs bedroom, Parvati and Padma were going over a lot of old documents and looking for information on the _Titanic_'s design plans. It was amazing what you can get from an Irish ship yard if you kept a few people supplied with Guinness every so often. Things might have taken a bit longer, but Harry unleashed Seamus upon the population and he got the results he wanted.

"So how do you plan to get her up?" asked Lavender. She was wrapping a present for her mother's birthday. Being away from their families had placed a massive strain on the group, but they had insisted that it wasn't so bad really. They did miss spending time with their families so soon after a major and traumatising event, but they had all come to Harry's side. Harry had insisted they didn't have to be around him all the time, Hannah had said that Hermione would never have wanted him to be alone. So far the group had missed two birthdays and three weddings, but nobody had made much fuss about this really.

"Well I was going to make a batch of luck potion, swim down to the wreck site and then cast a _Repairo_ on it" Harry said in reply to Lavender's question.

"So when do we go out there?" asked Susan.

"I'm waiting for the twins" Harry sipped his cool pumpkin juice. "They've been doing some work for me. I would have done it myself, only I was told that they would hex me!" and they laughed. A few minutes later, and the Patil twins came into the room and looked at Harry.

"We've done it" said Parvati.

"Really?" Harry became excited and put down his pumpkin juice.

"There are only four people left alive" Parvati said. "Three of them are passengers and one is a member of the crew" and she handed Harry a folder which he opened and read the contents. He studied them three times to be certain about the contents and then smiled.

"I've got to really get around to actually paying you" Harry smiled. Now that the information had been found, Harry had a man to telephone, talk to and arrange to see in a very short space of time. He led the way into the master bedroom where he picked up the phone and put it on to the hands free speaker so the others could hear. Harry dialled the number on one of the sheets of paper in the folder and waited for an answer.

"Hello?" came the sound of an old man.

"Good afternoon, sir" Harry said. "Can I speak to a Mr John L. Bigelow please?" he asked.

"You are speaking to he" said the voice.

"Sir, my name is Harry Potter. I understand that you are the last surviving member of the crew. I would like to come and speak to you about a project I am heading up about the ship" and they could hear Bigalow growl.

"Now look here, young man" he said, "I've said before that I do not wish to take part in these Television programs. Now if you excuse me, I have other things to do with my time then to sit and listen to people treat me like a foolish old man" and Harry paniced slightly.

"Sir" he said quickly, "I assure that I don't work for the TV companies. I'm talking to you as a fellow sailor – though I only sail a yacht" and there was a pause. "Sir?" Harry called.

"I'm listening" said Bigalow. His voice held a faint trace of curiosity in his tone of speech.

"I would like to visit you at home because of something that might interest you" Harry replied.

"You want to write a book about me?" Bigalow asked.

"No, sir" Harry told him, "I've brought the wreck of the _Titanic_, and I would like to know if you would be interested in it being raised from the ocean floor" and there was a silence which lasted longer then the first.

"You want to raise her?" Bigalow asked quietly. "My old ship? I think you making a fool out of me, Mr Potter" the man said.

"Can I at least meet you, sir?" Harry requested. "Sailor to sailor so to speak" and Bigalow relented.

"I suppose all I wouild waste is time looking at the world going by" he said, but the group could hear the curiosity back in his voice once more. "If you can visit me tomorrow at my home, then you have an interview Mr Potter" and they talked for a little while longer before Bigalow hung up.

"I think that went well" said Hannah.

"I agree" Lavender smiled warmly. "I mean did you hear him when you mentioned your raising of his old ship?" she asked, and Harry nodded.

"I better book us some train tickets" he said, and he picked up the phone to make a reservation.

#

Bigalow looked around his home by the sea and sighed. Even if it was a waste of time, at least he would be wasting it with a fellow sailor. Maybe agreeing wasn't such a bad idea after all.

#

Harry and the others stood outside the large cottage, and took in the surrounding garden. Rose bushes grew neatly, the grass was trimmed and it looked very nice indeed. Dean knocked on the door to the cottage and then stood aside as the door opened after a few moment's delay. It revealed a man who was not as old as they had been expecting, and as they looked at each other Harry could see the rugged features of a man with years of experience at sea.

"Mr Bigalow?" Harry said, "My name is Harry Potter. These are my friends and associates" and Bigalow shook hands with Harry, Dean and Seamus whilst he kissed the hands of the four girls.

"I suppose you'd all like a drink?" the elderly man said.

"Please" said Parvati. Bigalow nodded and busied himself with giving them all a scotch before they all sat outside in the even larger bigger garden in the back. This had a commanding view of the harbour below and they could all see the fishing boats bobbing up and down in the slight swell of the water. Several tugs and other large vessels lined one of the harbour walls.

"So… what can an old man such as myself do to help you?" asked Bigalow.

"As I said yesterday, sir, my plan is to raise the _Titanic_. It should be easy to do as I have access to some pretty good lifting gear of sorts" Harry said.

"I would hope so after sitting 12,000ft under the ocean" Bigalow said with a chuckle. They talked about his garden for a while before Susan took another sip of her drink before speaking to the old sailor.

"Could you tell us about some of your time on the _Titanic_?" she asked.

"Why certainly, my dear" Bigalow said. "Its been 84 years, and I can still smell the fresh paint. The china had never been used. The sheets had never been slept in. _Titanic_ was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was... it really was. Its an odd thing, you know. I've had a few ships shot out from under me. More than my share. Three in the 1914-18 fracas, and two in 39-45. But all anybody ever asks me about is the _Titanic_" and Padma laughed musically.

"And now we're doing the same thing" she said.

"And you' re lucky you came to the right man" Bigalow said with a smile. "I remember her like it was only the day before. First time I ever saw her was on the dockside at Belfast, and she looked magnificent. What a lovely thing she was... Standing as high in the water as one of those skyscrapers, longer than two rugby fields, and furnishings to match the finest mansions in England. She was one of a kind, no question about it – I sailed them all - and God himself, they said, couldn't sink her. Then in two hours she was gone... and fifteen hundred souls with her. Tell me, how does the old girl look after all these years? I may have been a young lad at the time, but I knew all her decks almost as good as old Thomas Andrews himself"

"Well she is a sorry state, sir" Dean said. "Over 80 years after going down and then the impact of the ocean floor… I'm sure you know she is in two pieces" and Bigalow nodded.

"I expected as much" he said. "I saw her break in two before she went down. I told the committee that much when we came back to Britain, but nobody was ever sure until some guy and one of those fancy types of submarines went down to have a look…" and Bigalow fell silent as he remembered that night once again.

"It must have been intense" said Seamus.

"Mmm? Oh it was, it was. It was a quiet night. No moon, full of stars. It was calm on deck at first, but the crew was only putting the boats away half full. They were condemning half the passengers and didn't know it. White distress rockets went up, but we should have been sending up red rockets. Nobody ever knew they didn't load us with even a few of them. I was one of the last people on the bow, and as I made my way aft to the stern, I saw Captain Smith heading into the bridge. I suppose that he felt that he should have gone down with the ship. He was that sort of a captain as a lot of people who knew him would have known. Well there isn't much to say really except that all the boats that could be launched had been launched, so I went to the stern" Bigalow paused for a while and seemed to consider something, and then got out of his garden chair. "I've something to show you" he said, and they followed him into the house and into a large room. From wall to wall the room was filled with all sorts of ship related articles. A wooden deck chair lay propped up against one wall and picture frames full of newspaper headlines, full newspapers, cuttings and pictures of people and of _Titanic_ hung in frames off the walls. On the wall opposite the large window sat a scale model of the _Titanic_ on top of a table. Taking pride of place was a large white shape on a red background. It was mounted on the wall above the model and behind a glass case.

"Wow" said the magical people at the same time.

"This is my _Titanic_ collection" Bigalow said. "I collect things now and again when they come up for sale, Tell me, Mr Potter, do you promise to get her up? As much as you can that is?" and Harry looked at his friends in turn before looking at the elderly man.

"It is as good as done" he assured him.

"Then you want this then" and Bigalow opened the glass cabinet and removed the large iceberg coloured star from where it had been for many years. "I took the pennant off her before she went down" he went on while folding it carefully, "If you do manage to bring her up again, maybe you'd put it back where it belongs" he asked Harry in such a tone it was almost like begging. "Thousands of workers laboured in that shipyard. They put out many greats, but none will ever equal the _Titanic_. For all this time, this has been my only tie to her, my only way of making my peace, Mr. Potter" and as he finished and handed it to his fellow sailor, Harry looked at the others who all wore the same looks of amazement and awe. Harry was holding the actual pennant that _Titanic_ was actually flying the night she went down.

"Thank you, sir" Parvati said quietly.

"I'd like to know one thing" Bigalow said.

"Anything" Harry told him.

"When are you bringing her up?" asked the sole surviving member of the ship's crew. The group looked at each other before Harry looked up from where he had been patting the White Star pennant.

"What are you doing next week?" Harry said with a serious face.

#

Harry watched from the deck of the ship he had chartered, and looked at a certain spot of the Atlantic Ocean with a hugely expectant look. The ship carried members of the press which included TV crews which waited to broadcast live images of _Titanic_ reborn. Harry smiled at the thought of what several billion pounds could get you and how quickly it could arrive. Small submersibles were busy working at the bottom of the ocean floor placing small amounts of explosives around the hull of the _Titanic_, and soon they would return to the surface and clear the area. When the subs had gone down, they had been astounded to discover the ship had become rejoined into one large piece again. It was completely unexpected and was against everything everyone knew about the ship. It couldn't be a fake as nobody would buy a ship that big and then sink it to create one large hoax. On the last trip down, Harry went down with Bigalow and the crew found some kind of fault in the back which needed the help of nearly everyone onboard. They had to settle on _Titanic_'s forward deck, and as they manoeuvred into place, a well timed called made the pilot go back. This left Bigalow to settle it down himself after being told what to do by the pilot. The old man knew there was nothing really wrong with the sub, and they were just giving him the honour of landing on his ship once more.

"T-30 seconds" said a voice. Harry went inside where he found the rest of his friends gathered around the underwater sonar screen.

"Showtime" said Seamus with a grin. Harry nodded as Dean switched on the nearest mic and turned to the channel for the whole ship.

"Attention all personal and passengers. _Titanic_ will be on the surface in under three minutes. Members of the press are requested to gather on the starboard side." He said, and then replaced the thing into its slot.

"T-15 seconds" called the sonar operator. "T-12 seconds… 11…10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… 0!" and he slapped the headphones off so he wasn't deafened by the noise of the exploding charges. Three seconds later the second set of charges went off and they waited for the bubbles to clear before they could get an accurate reading made. When they did get such a reading, the ship hadn't moved by all that much but it was only to be expected.

"Has it worked?" asked Lavender. The sonar operator made some adjustments before trying again.

"I'm… not sure" he said. "I can hear some kind of sou… SHE'S COMING UP!" he shouted. People in the control room cheered as another ship's sonar agreed with theirs.

"Come you bastard, move!" Harry said.

#

The ship groaned in protest as her stern began to rise, and as she pulled the bow out of the mud the Titanic broke free and started begin her trip to the surface.

#

"That last hit did it. She's on the way up!" said the operator.

"Keep an eye on her ascent speed and angle" Hannah said above the cheering people.

"Call the helicopter pilot and get him in the thing and ready for launch I want us airborne and on her deck the minute she stabilizes herself" Harry said to Padma.

"He is already in the thing with the engine warmed up" she told him with a smile. Everyone either watched the surface or the screens as _Titanic_ rose slowly out of the depths of the ocean. There was definably an eager tension as the sonar operator called out the readings over the entire ship. The TV crews called it in to their networks and every TV news station and a lot of other stations broke their programming to show the spot where the _Titanic_ was supposed to be. With a hundred feet left to go, the ship seemed to slow her speed and Harry took the chance to go out to the deck and stand by Bigalow as he watched the seemingly endless sea. The sonar operator had stopped talking, so Harry used a hand held radio to contact him.

"Sonar, can you give me an approximate fix on where she'll appear?"

"_She should appear a few hundred yards off the starboard quarter, sir_" the man said.

"Time?" but the operator didn't reply.

#

_Titanic_ practically flying now; almost to the surface. Sunlight reflecting off the waves above and it was the first light that the old ship had seen in over eighty years.

#

Harry was concerned that he hadn't got a reply. Perhaps something had gone wrong.

"Sonar, I need a time"

"_How about now, sir?_" came the operator, and at that moment the waters broke. A huge wave of bubbles rapidly spread across the surface, followed quickly by the fantail of the Titanic. She rose out of the water and then began to pitch forward as the stern came out of the water. The Titanic began to settle in the centre of the salvage fleet. She settled back into the water, sending a large wave out to all the ships. She rode low in the water but quickly stabilized herself. The pair of ships on the salvage site suddenly blew every horn that could be blown was blown in triumph. She lay there listing and low in the water, but she was there. Two of her giant funnels still stood in their mounts, her masts were gone and she was rusted, but she still held the same majesty as she had done decades ago.

"My god are you beautiful…" Bigalow said quietly, and they looked as tears ran down the man's face. Harry watched him quietly for a while as Bigalow looked at the old ship while the ships moved a bit closer to _Titanic_. It was clear that the damage was severe as the hull had been dented and twisted in places, most of the outer deck features had been torn from her when she had hit the bottom but as the water fell off the decks the sunlight glinted and glimmered off her hull.

"Commodore?" Harry said, and Bigalow was shaken from his memories of _Titanic_. "I believe your ship is waiting for you" and he took the spellbound man by the hand and led him to the helicopter which waited with its blades whirling. Within a few moments, the aircraft was up in the air and heading towards _Titanic_. Harry had a quiet word with the pilot who commenced two passes on each side of the ship – two upwind and two downwind inspection passes. When they got to the stern, the helicopter went low enough for them to simply hop out and everyone landed.

"Hello ship…" Bigalow whispered faintly. "Oh what has happened to you?" he shook his head as he remembered what had happened. The helicopter returned for the engineering crew that would finish making _Titanic_ safe and fit for travel.

"There is something we need to do" Parvati said, and she handed over a flat square package tied up with string. It was the ship's pennant, and Bigalow handled it like a glass figurine.

"Thank you" he said with tears in his eyes. He made his way aft to the stern flagstaff as it was impossible to get to the rear mast, so the flagstaff would do well enough for the job. With slightly trembling fingers, the White Star pennant of the _RMS Titanic_ was attached tied onto the jack by the string by which it had been tied with. With a few short movements, the house flag flew over the ship once more as the helicopter came back once more with the first load of engineers. It approached from aft and the pilot hovered the machine a yard or two away as the pennant went up and then dipped the nose down in salute before finding a spot to put the passengers down safely. The other ship was bringing much needed equipment to pump the remaining water out of the vessel and specialists to ensure that _Titanic_ had a workable radio system in place.

"Perhaps we should go for'ard" Susan suggested, so the little group made their way to the bridge. They found a single skeleton slumped down by the ship's wheel, and the group became silent except for Bigalow.

"This is Captain Edward J Smith" he said. Harry called for some people to come up and deal with the body, and as they did so others came and began the work of assessing the damage to the bridge. The work continued for many hours, and as Harry was going down to have a look at the destroyed 1st Class lounge, a pair of engineers came up from one the passage ways that had been cleared and came up to him.

"We've been down to the engine and boiler rooms" said one. "And from what we've seen it looks like one of the boilers is intact" the man said.

"We had a good look around and it looks as if all the pipes and fittings are connected properly. If looks are anything to go by, we just have to light the boiler and get some pressure up and we'd get steerage way at least" the other one said.

"Ten knots…" Harry thought for a while. "Inspect everything that is needed to get the ship moving under her own power. We'll have to have her towed to New York, though I intend to make a dramatic entrance" and the engineers nodded and went to pass on Harry's orders.

#

"We're not that far away" said one of the marine specialists.

"Thanks" Harry said, and he raised the radio to his mouth and spoke into it. "Bring Mr Bigalow aboard and have him taken to the bridge" he ordered.

"_Will do_" came Lavender's voice. The group had flittered between _Titanic_ and one of the rescue and salvage ships. After a few minutes, he saw activity on the after deck of one ship and the helicopter lifted off and undertook the short hop to _Titanic_'s forward outer deck. As the rest of his friends and Bigalow came up to the bridge, one of the engineer's radios went off and there was a discussion for several moments.

"Boiler room reports that there is enough pressure for steerage way" said the engineer on the bridge.

"Very well" Harry said. "Have the men in the funnels ready with the oily rags" and the message was passed along. The others and Bigalow arrived on the bridge and Harry handed them some binoculars so they could see the yachts and other small craft coming out of New York to meet them and escort _Titanic_ in. At the bow and stern, crews detached the towing cables and watched the salvage ships steer clear and take up station port and starboard beam.

"I want to thank you, young man, for the chance to be here when she sailed in" Bigalow spoke quietly, but this wasn't what Harry or the others had in mind.

"I have something better to tell you" he said. "We've been working on getting steerage way, and we managed to get enough boiler pressure for that" and Bigalow turned to look at him with surprise. "In others words, sir, she can move under her own steam into port" and the older man suddenly burst into tears.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you…" he said over and over again.

"I have one request to make of you though" Harry winked at the others who wore grins on their faces.

"Anything…" Bigalow said.

"Not only did I buy the rights to _Titanic_, but I also purchased the rights to the White Star name and branding. Now as she wasn't really withdrawn from service and owing to the fact that you are the last surviving member of the ship's crew" Harry drew straighter, "You have the bridge, Mr Bigalow" and the other man's mouth dropped open in shock before he recovered.

"Aye, Aye" he whispered, and then started to give commands to the people operating the emergency steering gear located deep in the ship – relayed to them by those on the bridge.

#

"Ghosts do exist. I know" began an FOX newsman, "I saw one in the mists of morning. Like some grotesque phantom that had been rejected from hell, she passed before my unbelieving eyes. Surrounded by the invisible pall of bygone tragedy, shrouded in the souls of her dead, she was truly an awesome relic from a past age. You could not lay your eyes upon her and not sense pride and sorrow together. . ."

"The Titanic completed her maiden voyage today, seventy-six years after departing the dock at Southampton, England. . ." a CBS commentator expressed a more journalistic view. By noon the Titanic was edging past the Statue of Liberty and a vast sea of spectators on the Battery. No one on shore spoke above a whisper, and the city became strangely silent; only an occasional toot from a taxi horn gave any hint of normal activity. It was as though the whole of New York City had been picked up and placed in a vast cathedral. Many of the watchers wept openly. Among them were three of the passengers who had survived the tragic night so long ago. The air seemed heavy and hard to breathe. Most people, describing their feelings later, were surprised to recall nothing but an odd sense of numbness, as though they had been temporarily paralyzed and struck dumb. Most that is, except a rugged fireman by the name of Arthur Mooney. Mooney was the captain of one of the New York Harbour fireboats. A big, mischief-eyed Irishman born of the city, and a seagoing fire-eater for nineteen years. He slammed a massive fist against the binnacle and shook off the spell. Then he shouted to his crew.

"Up off your asses, boys. You're not department store dummies." His voice carried into every corner of the boat. Mooney hardly ever required the services of a bullhorn. "This here's a ship arrivin' on her maiden voyage, ain't she? Then let's show her a good old-fashioned traditional New York welcome."

"But skipper," a crew member protested, "It's not like she was the QE II or the _Normandie_ comin' up the channel for the first time. That thing is nothin' but a wasted hulk, a ship of the dead."

"Wasted hulk, your ass!" Mooney shouted. "That ship you see there is the most famous liner of all time. So she's a little delapidated, and she's arrivin' a tad late. So who gives a damn? Turn on the hoses and hit the siren". It was a re-enactment of the _Titanic_'s raising all over again, but on a much grander scale. As the water spouted in great sheets over Mooney's fireboat, and his boat whistle reverberated off the city's skyscrapers, another fireboat followed his example, and another. Then whistles on docked freighters and liners began to scream. Then the horns of cars lined up along the shores of New Jersey, Manhattan, and Brooklyn joined the outpouring of noise followed by the cheers and yells from a million throats. What had begun with the insignificant shrill of a single whistle now built and built until it was a thunderous bedlam of sound that shook the ground and rattled every window in the city. It was a moment that echoed across every ocean of the world.

The _Titanic_ had made port.

#

_Titanic_ responded with a horn of her own. It was being blown by compressed air, but it was the thought that counted. The floatilla continued down to Chelsea pier where _Titanic_ had Tugs gently turn and nudge her into Pier 59 – the berth assigned to her in 1912 – and then she inched along the berth until the grand old lady of the seas came to a halt.

"Finished with engines" Bigalow said quietly.

"Finished with engines - Aye, Aye, Sir" said one of the engineering crew.

"One more thing to do" said Bigalow, and Harry handed him _Titanic_'s log book. It had been found inside a watertight and airproof safe in the day cabin. The entry that was made would instantly become one of the most famous Ship's Logs every recording.

R.M.S Titanic _arrived at her destination of New York Harbour Pier 59 84 years, three months, four days and eighteen minutes behind time._

_Signed_

_Junior Officer John L Bigalow_

_Acting Captain_

"I promised I would do my best to get you here" Bigalow said, and this his burden free heart burst and he dropped down – he was dead before he hit the bridge decking. There was a silence in the room as the sirens trailed off, and it was sometime before anyone spoke.

"I guess he was free of any guilt at last" Parvati sniffed through the tears.

"Somebody better inform the authorities" Harry said quietly.

#

_Titanic_'s repairs had taken over 700,000 man hours to complete, and had been the biggest repair job in naval history. The ship herself was still badly damaged, but she could now make a little over 15 Knots, and had been repainted into the colours she had left Southampton in all those years ago. The upper decks had large amounts of equipment missing from the cranes, vents and masts, to guide rails, crows nest and a thousand and one other things. The main repair work would be done in what had become known as the '_Titanic_ Yard' at Harland and Wolfe in Belfast, but the repairs had been made for an altogether different and more sombre reason.

"Stop engines" the command came from the bridge. The telegraph rang in reply to the Harry's command, and the vibrations coming from the engines room of the _Titanic_ died away. The foam around the bow melted into the blackness of the sea as the ship slowly lost her momentum, silent except for the hum of her emergency generator.

It was a warm night for the North Atlantic. The sea was glassy-calm and the stars blazed in a sparkling carpet across the sky from horizon to horizon. The Union Jack and the White Star pennant hung limp and lifeless in their halyards, untouched by even a hint of breeze – both at half mast. The crew, over two hundred of them, was assembled on the foredeck as a lifeless body sewn in the traditional sailcloth of a bygone era and shrouded by the national flag, was carried out and poised at the ship's railing. Then the chaplain – aboard only for this purpose as members of the clergy are considered bad omens in a professional capacity - his voice resonant and unemotional, read the sailor's burial service. As soon as he uttered the final words, he nodded. The slat was tilted, and the body slid into the waiting arms of the eternal sea. The bugle notes were clear and pure as they drifted into the quiet night; then the men were dismissed and they turned silently away. A few minutes later, when the _Titanic_ had made steam and was under once again, Harry sat down and made the following entry in the ship's log:

R.M.S Titanic._ Time 0220, 10 August 1997. _

_Pos. Lat. 41°43'57" N, 49°56'49" W_

_At the exact time in the morning of the White Star steamer R.M.S Titanic's foundering, and in accordance with his final wishes that he spend eternity with his former shipmates, the remains of Commodore Sir John Bigalow, K.B.E., R.D., R.N.R. (Retired) were committed to the deep_.

Harry's hand trembled as he signed his name. He was closing out the last chapter of a tragic drama that had stunned the world . . . a world the likes of which would never be seen again.

**A/N:**

**Well I hope that was a good chapter, even if did have a sad ending…**

**Most of this chapter is based on a combination of the films Raise the **_**Titanic**_** and **_**Titanic**_**. The character of Bigalow appears in RTT and also the novel of the film. The fireboat captain and crew are lifted from the same book word for word as I have always thought it a moving piece… One thing that I have altered from the various films made about **_**Titanic**_** is that I had them find Captain Smith at the helm of his ship when he was most likely washed out when the water flooded in. Interesting note: for the old sailors, having a chaplain on board in a professional capacity was really considered bad luck. Most items in this chapter are accurate to the time and place.**

**Part Two will have Harry coming back to the magical world and then saving a few people's lives and then (later on) Harry places charges of adultery on a member of the Royal family. (Hope I don't get life at Her Majesty's pleasure for committing a possible act of treason)**

**Well let me know what you thought of this chapter, and what your best moment was.**

**Regards,**

**Pixel**


	25. WTTTTWOMHJPAHTMWCWHDTLTMWFAW 2

**Welcome To the Topsy Turvy World Of Mr Harry James Potter, And How The Magical World Copes With His Decision To Leave The Magical World For A While – Part 2**

**Or**

**Chapter 25 (take your pick of titles)**

Harry turned to look at the ship one more time. _Titanic_ sat in Harland and Wolfe's _Titanic_ dock like a Goliath and surrounded by all of the small buildings that made up the ship yard. From this distance it looked as if hundreds of ants crawled over her as the workers began the long task of a complete repair and refit. After that came her proving trials before she sailed the seas again. He remembered the sound that the old vessel had made as she had made her way up the Lagan river. Harry had his friends go down to deal with the boiler and to keep casting spells to ensure maximum boiler pressure. When they had done that, Harry had tied down the ship's horn so it blasted out while it had sailed into dock. With one last glance at the ship, Harry apperated home to Allcroft House.

**#**

"There's another letter for you here" said Lavender as she went through her pile of letters. The group had found a large pile of them waiting for them upon their arrival home.

"Might as well read it" Harry said, and Lavender passed him the letter and he read it aloud.

_Dear Mr Potter,_

_PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come back to us. It is understandable that you are angry with the wizarding world, and we are sorry that our world has failed you. Please forgive us for our mistakes. If there is anything that we can do to repay even one iota of the debt we owe you, then you only have to let us know. Should you wish it, I will resign my position as Minister for Magic in place of whomever you so choose._

_Signed_

_G. Marchbanks_

"Well if they want to start repaying me, then they can award me the entire contents of the LeStrange, Riddle, Malfoy, Goyle, Crabbe and Parkinson vaults for a start" Harry said as he put down the letter.

"Not wanting to get on your bad side, but don't you have enough money already?" asked Padma.

"I wouldn't touch it" Harry said quickly, "Rather I would put it all together and make it into a sort of charity vault. So the profits of evil can be used to rebuild people's lives" and the others agreed.

"TEAS UP!" came Dean's shout, and he hovered a large tray of tea cups into the living room.

"Took your sweet bloody time" said Hannah as she took a cup. They sat talking for a while drinking tea when Parvati reacted to one of the letters.

"This is from Ginny" she said. Harry paused, took another mouthful of tea, and then took the letter from his friend.

"She has the cheek to write to me?" he fumed.

"What does it say?" asked Susan. Harry was about to throw it into the fireplace, but then decided that reading it wouldn't do much harm.

_Dear Harry,_

_I know you said that I shouldn't talk or contact you ever, but I hope that you at least read this before blasting it into pieces. It took a lot of begging to Aurors before they gave me some parchment and ink. This is the first thing I've done since I arrived at Azkaban._

_There are not enough words in the English language to describe how stupid I have been. If Percy had not been uncovered as a Death Eater, then it was my plan to ask permission to speak to you. I wanted to explain that I was duped by my mother and father. They used to tell me when I was little that I was destined to be Mrs Ginny Potter. Every night my mother would tell stories of how I would have to do things to make you notice me. Being in prison has made me see that I should have said no to them, but it was all I knew. After all, what girl would not want to be the wife of the brave and noble Harry Potter?_

_Being locked in a cell all day has given me a lot time to think, and I want to tell you that I wish to distance myself from them. I know you will not think much of this, but I want to say that I am sorry about Hermione's death. I know that it is very unlikely that I'll leave my cell unless I need medical attention. I look outside, see the clouds and cry for hours on end because I will never be able to fly on a broom and feel the wind whip around me. I think that the day I leave my cell will be the day that I die. I think that that will be soon because of my broken heart. Nothing can cure that medically. Would it be too much to ask if you would visit me? Even if it was for five minutes, at least it would put my mind at ease and give me closure. All I want to do is to apologise in person for being stupid and foolish to believe that you would ever love me. If you want to do it, then you can come and take my memories to prove all I've said. It might mean much to you from me, but at least it would allow me to go peacefully._

_If you destroy this letter and do not see me, then I completely understand._

_Signed_

_Ginerva Weasley_

"What are you going to do?" asked Seamus when he had read the letter.

"I don't know" Harry replied, and he took another sip of his tea whilst thinking deeply. "You stupid girl" he said at last. "You stupid, stupid silly little girl" and Harry shook his head, finished his tea and then got up.

"Where are you going?" asked Lavender.

"I'm going out for a while" Harry said in reply. The others knew what he meant, so they let him go to think. An upset and angry Harry was not a good thing for the windows, plates and other breakable items in a building.

#

Rain came down in sheets, and Harry felt the chill set into his bones as he stepped off the small boat. The tall structure was both a fearsome and impressive site to behold, but Harry put his mind to the task ahead of him and walked up to the thick wooden doors. When he got close to them, they seemingly opened on their on and he went inside and found a number of people waiting for him.

"Mr Potter" said a short man.

"Mr McKay" Harry gave him a short nod.

"Allow me to introduce my assistant, Mr Barrowclough" McKay pointed him out.

"You understand why I am here?" Harry asked. While he was talking, he was actively scanning the minds of those people around him. None held any hostile intent towards him.

"I do" McKay replied. "These Aurors will take you to see the prisoner" and Harry was taken to the lowest parts of Azkaban. This was were the most dangerous criminals were held, and the stone passage smelled of damp and filth. It was lit only by burning torches of Everlasting Fire which cast flickering shadows on to the already darkened walls. Although he couldn't see them, Harry could sense the Dementors close by. One of the Aurors tapped a cell door in a certain manner and it removed the look, and she opened the door and spoke harshly.

"Prisoner 74656! Stand up with your back to the wall. You have a visitor" and in the cell, and curled up form unfolded and stood up slowly.

"You may go" Harry said quietly.

"I'm afraid that is against the rules" said the female Auror. "We must be present in case the prisoner escapes" and Harry executed a heel spin so quickly, it would put a Sgt Major at Sandhurst to shame.

"I said leave" he repeated.

"We don't take orders from you" replied the male Auror. "You're not the Minister anymore" and Harry's eyes burst into flames.

"That was not an order… that was me telling you. She will not escape from her cell I assure you" but the Aurors refused to budge. "I killed Voldemort you know, and I wouldn't be too upset about adding to my tally. After all, who would take the word of two Aurors against the boy who lived?" and with a shared look they both fled the corridor. Harry turned and entered the cell to survey the prisoner.

"You came" Ginny Weasley said. Filth caked her body and the now disgraceful looking robes she wore. They were little more then the rags Cinderella would have worn, and they hung off her like she was a skeleton. "Thank you" she said.

"It was no trouble" Harry said in reply. The cell was spartan except for a mouldy old mattress, a thin blanket on top and a bucket that Harry could rightly guess the purpose of. "I read your letter. Did you mean everything you said?" he asked.

"Yes" Ginny said. She was still up against the wall with her hands on either side touching the stone wall.

"You can stand easier you know" Harry remarked, and Ginny became more relaxed in her posture. "Did you mean what you said in it?" he asked her, and Ginny nodded.

"I've been stupid, foolish, silly dangerous and anything else you can think of" she said.

"Why?" asked Harry. He had noticed that Ginny was on the verge of tears, but these looked to be genuine ones.

"Because I grew up with stories about you. Not the real ones of course, but stories of how you would come on a big white horse and make me your wife. Remember Kings Cross? I kept wanting to see you on the train. Then in my two years I couldn't stop stammering whenever you came close to me. Mum said that you had to see how good I would be as your wife, so she taught me everything she could to get you to marry me…" Ginny stopped as she burst into tears, and she put her head in her hands as she sobbed – her entire body shaking whilst she did so.

"You said some pretty hurtful things to me and Hermione" Harry said.

"I... I… I know" she said through the tears. "I don't know why I said them. I was just so mad that you didn't want to be with me. Now I'll never be able to marry you at all. What is it like outside? I don't get the post much and we're not allowed to see the papers. In fact apart from twice when I was examined by the Healer here, I've never left this cell" and Harry thought about her words.

"Your not likely to be out of her for a very long time, you know that" and Ginny nodded.

"I was given a hundred years" the girl said, and she dried off her tears with a corner of her tattered and filthy rags.

"You think that you could do that long?" Harry asked her.

"No. I'll die before then. I'll die from a broken heart and from the shame of the mess I have put myself in. I won't even have my dream fulfilled…" and Harry raised an eyebrow.

"What is that?" was his question.

"As a little girl, I used to fall asleep thinking that Harry Potter would give me a hug and a kiss" Ginny laughed sadly. "I guess I blew that chance. Guess I blew it for my life" and she looked at the dirty floor at her feet.

"What would you do to get out of here?" Harry asked.

"Anything! I'd sleep with a thousand people if I could get out of here. The screams of the others in here keep me up in the night. Then in the daytime I have the Dementors to face… its just too much, Harry. Will you kill me now please?" Ginny was on her knees begging. "If you conjure me some parchment and a quill, I'll write a letter saying that I asked you to do it. Just please don't let me face this nightmare every single day for the next hundred years…" she was sobbing again as the sorrow in her voice tore at Harry. Ginny looked to be genuinely sorry for what she had done, and even though he was more then aware of her crimes, she didn't deserve this at all.

"I'm leaving" Harry announced, and he turned and left the cell.

"HARRY!" the call came like the last desperate plea from a drowning person.

"Ginny!" Harry said sharply, and she looked up from the littered floor to look at him with darkened and red rimmed eyes. "The cell door is still open… I will give you one more chance because I thought you to be like the sister I never had. You lost the trust and faith in you. Now it will have to be earned back" then Harry's tone grew dark. "I've given you another chance, Ginerva. I can just as easily break you" and then he relaxed his tone to normal again. Harry reached out one hand and gently pulled the surprised Ginny to her feet.

#

"We only have to get past the wards" said Harry as the pair of them walked down the cold and dim passageways. Harry had given Ginny a Pepper Up potion on account that she was very weak. The potions effects would do harm to someone in that condition, but Harry wasn't bothered by that as he could always heal her later on. The Aurors on the gate simply froze in a state of shock as they saw Harry and Ginny casually walking out of the main doors. The Auror who had crossed Harry's path was the first to come round, and she sounded the alarms before setting off after the pair.

#

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" the voice rang out over the night air. Harry and Ginny turned to see the same two Aurors who has escorted Harry to Ginny's cell hovering on two brooms, others came running up from the prison and Dementors could be sensed close by.

"Don't… just don't" Harry warned, but the Aurors opened fire with a combination of spells and jinxes to take both of them out. As Ginny had no wand, Harry put her behind a boulder and started firing stunners at his attackers. While the Aurors had more experience of fighting, they simply were no match for Harry. One by one they fell to powerful stunners – plus one large rock thrown by Ginny – until the hovering pair cast blasting hexes at Harry. He dodged them before disarming both.

"Go on then" taunted the female Auror.

"Surrender or prepare to be blasted out of the skies" Harry said, and his wand tip glowed with pure magical energy.

"I would advise you to do what he says" Marchbanks' voice made Harry glance behind him for a moment.

"Evening" he greeted coldly.

"Mr Potter" Marchbanks was taken aback a moment by Harry's curtness. "May I ask exactly why you seem to have released Miss Weasley? A prisoner that you yourself was giving evidence against" and Harry snorted.

"Well let's just say I had a change of heart" Harry said, and then surprised her by pointing his wand at her. "Duck" and Marchbanks hit the ground and Harry blew up the Dementor which was about to attack him. "The next time you see me, is when I sail my nice new shiny yacht into Harbour. I'm sure you'll get the report. Now if you want to stand a chance of seeing me again, then I suggest you put these two idiots on a full suspension without pay followed by an investigation, get rid of the Dementors and clean up Azkaban" and Marchbanks gawped at him. "Don't sack McKay or Barrowclough though – they know their jobs" he added. Harry held out his hand to Ginny who took it as they stepped into the small boat which set off by itself. Marchbanks and the Aurors watch as they grew smaller in size as the distance got more and more. They vanished as Harry apperated them both back to wherever he had come from.

"You two might as well consider yourselves relieved of duty. Go back to your quarters here, pack up your stuff and return to the Ministry. When you get there, head to the Auror department and turn in your badges and explain that you are on suspension pending an investigation" Marchbanks was furious. Not with the Aurors themselves, but she didn't have much of an Auror force to begin with. Her greatest hope was that Harry wouldn't depose _her_ the same way he had deposed Dumbledore from office.

#

"_Expecto Patronum_" a patronus came from Harry's wand. "Alert the others" he told it, and the silver stag sprung away through the nearest wall. The next spell he did was the air freshener charm as Azkaban had failed to give Ginny any kind of shower or bath during her stay. In a matter of minutes everyone had arrived and stared at Ginny – Dean and Seamus had actually pulled their wands out – and they sat down or stood as they listened began to hear what Harry had done.

"So long as it doesn't take all night" said Susan.

"Well you know the letter that was sent to me by Ginny. Well I don't know how to say this, but this time I knew she was really telling the truth. When I went to talk to her in Azkaban I was appalled by the conditions. Ginny told me why she did what she did, and that she is sorry for it. As we left, we encountered… problems, but Marchbanks knows I've taken Ginny. I don't think we can expect much trouble from her anyway" Harry was glad that nobody was against Ginny being present.

"So what do we do now then?" asked Lavender.

"First thing is to get Ginny cleaned up and given some clothes that will fit her. Conjure up some pyjamas for herself as well. But get her clean first and then bring her down here" Harry ordered. The five girls amongst them jumped to the task and led Ginny to the large bathroom on the second floor. Dean and Seamus looked at Harry as if they had a question to ask, but both of them knew Harry had reasons why he kept his reasons to himself. The Ginny that came down was different to the Ginny that went up. Not a single speck of dirt could be seen on her squeaky clean skin. Her hair had been cut to shoulder length, and the girl was dressed in what looked like fluffy cotton pyjamas.

"They let me look outside for a moment" said an excited Ginny. "From the bathroom window I mean. I can not wait to see what your garden looks like in the daylight" and Harry smiled before asking Ginny to sit in the chair in front of him.

"Now I've got you out of that hellhole. You can just as easily go back unless you follow the rules of this house" he said sternly. "You will not contact anybody in the magical world by any means. You are forbidden to use magic at all except for magical objects. We will teach you anything you missed during the year at Hogwarts,you're your wand will be handed back to one of us at the end of the you are with somebody else, you are not allowed to leave the house or the gardens. Tomorrow you'll go with the girls to get yourself some muggle clothing" Harry saw Ginny looking at the floor.

"Thank you" she mumbled.

"Apart from that, you'll get a crash course in muggle things so you don't cause a scene when you do go out. Now for other things. There are objects here that are sentient, and I would like it if you treat them the same as any other person" Ginny seemed to accept that so he went on. "Now I remember you used to like reading magazines. If you want to keep up with them, then let me know and something will be arranged. I'm not being evil, Ginny, but if you keep breaking those rules then you'll go right back to Azkaban. Now go with Lavender to the kitchen because there is some soup on the stove for you to eat" and Harry gave a smile at Ginny before the girl followed Lavender to the kitchen.

"Marchbanks is going to kill you" said Padma.

"I don't care anymore" said Harry. "If it comes to it, then I'll simply stay here for the rest of my life. I'd even give up magic if it came to it" and the others exchanged looks.

"How bad was the conditions that she was kept in?" asked Dean. He was talking about Ginny.

"You only saw her physical condition" said Harry. "She was put in the high security cells. Hell, she isn't even 17 yet. Now if she had been an adult then I wouldn't have minded, but something told me her letter was from the heart. And I read her mind as well while I talked to her" and Seamus raised an eyebrow.

"You really did that?" he asked in surprise.

"I had to be certain" replied the raven haired boy. "I meant what I said to her about the terms of her staying here. Please treat her like any other person, but keep an eye on her so she does not use the floo or anything like that" and they agreed. A short while later and Ginny came back in from the kitchen after finishing her soup. She seemed to be a lot better for it, and Harry wondered if she would be up to eating a standard breakfast the next morning.

"Lavender is going to show me to my bedroom" Ginny said to Harry. "Will she be locking me in?" the girl asked.

"Do I have your word that you will not use the floo to leave this house?" asked Harry, and Ginny nodded. "Well in that case the door will remain unlocked. I'm giving you a second chance at being my friend, Ginny. Please do not break my trust" and on a sudden impulse, she ran forward and hugged him. Harry patted her on the back before sending her upstairs to bed.

#

Harry woke the next morning slightly later then normal, and he showered and dressed before heading downstairs. He followed the delightful smell of bacon, sausages, mushrooms, fried bread, hash browns and tomatoes all being cooked in the kitchen. The surprise was that the newest member of the household was the one doing the cooking.

"Good Morning, Harry" Ginny greeted him.

"Morning, Gin" he said. "I see you know your way around the kitchen" he added.

"Well mum taught me how to cook for when I married you. I thought I might as well use those skills to do breakfast for everyone" Ginny said, and she started turning over the bacon. "I was wondering though. I know there will be chores to do around the house. Would you like me to do them?" and the question was a valid one.

"Chores are shared between everyone in this house" said Harry. He poured himself a cup of tea from the pot. "You will be like any other person here, except for not going out of the boundaries of the property and the no wand rule. Now later this morning, the girls will take you into town for some clothes for yourself to wear" and Ginny looked slightly alarmed.

"But I have no money" she said.

"You worry about getting some clothes. And I don't mean plain stuff either. If there is something that you want, then by all means get it. Same goes for your room. If you want to decorate it in whatever manner then let me know. I do have one thing to ask you though" Harry said.

"What?" said Ginny as she took the bacon off the stove top and put it on a platter.

"Do you have any magazines or newspapers you would like to read?" and Ginny nodded.

"_Witch Weekly_ and _Home Help_" she replied. Harry made a note to talk to Griphook about it later on. He would have a copy of each by the time Ginny came back from her shopping trip. Breakfast was served at the same time that the others came down, and though it took them time to warm up to Ginny after what had happened, they treat her like any of themselves. When she came back, Harry had never seen so many shopping bags. Ginny had been brought a dozen pairs of jeans, t shirts and blouses of different colours, multiple pairs of socks any some other items that Harry guessed the purpose of. When everything had been put into Ginny's room, the girl was given the tour of the house. She could go into any part she wanted, and the library was free for her use at any time of the day or night. The only room she was forbidden to enter was Hermione's old room. Ginny remarked about the huge back garden, and Harry smiled to himself. That afternoon she was given a talk by the others on muggles. The youngest Weasley knew some things, but the information was at least fifty to a hundred years out of date. An amusing incident had occurred when Harry had switched on the TV to watch Aquila. Upon watching it, Ginny found herself asking if this was some kind of Pensive recording. Harry then explained it all to her, and Ginny grew to like TV. A week later, and her first trip to the cinema took place as she was introduced to watching films outside of viewing them on the TV.

#

"I never thought he would be that forgiving" said the woman.

"Harry is forgiving" said Hermione. "I just hope that his trust in her is not misplaced" she added.

"Well you will find out soon enough" replied the woman. "You are going back" and Hermione was surprised. The woman then explained it was a reward from the higher powers for beating Voldemort.

"I guess I'll prepare myself, Mum" Hermione said to her mother.

#

Ginny came out of her shell as the days went by, and soon her weight was back up to something near normal. During this long process, Harry had her write down everything that had happened to her in Azkaban. Apart from not giving her a lot of food, the Aurors had routinely used her as live target practice. This resulted in the use of the potions that Harry had for medical use. Ginny herself was more then happy to abide by the rules Harry set out to her, and not once did she attempt to leave the house. Harry had had to tell Ginny that she didn't have to do the house work by herself, and that everyone did their part. This was after she had attempted to make up what she had done by making breakfast, lunch and tea for the first week. Her first introduction to a talking steam engine had been a complete laughter festival as Ginny had rendered unable to talk for the next five minutes as she tried to get her mind around the concept. She and James had clashed slightly when they compared their respective shades of red. Harry came out of the hidden life he had been leading, and he had spoken at great length about things to Marchbanks and Auror Jackson. Ginny wondered why Harry was smiling about something, but when she asked him what it was, the only reply was that she would find out later. Harry was just about to go to bed when he heard some important news. Knowing that there was not much time to lose, Harry grabbed his wand and travelled directly to the Ministry where he found only a skeleton night staff.

"Who is your duty Senior Auror?" asked Harry of the desk witch.

"Auror Sharpe" the witch said, and pointed him towards a long corridor. "Would you like someone to take you there?" she added.

"I know the way" Harry told her. He made his way to the Auror department and found them in a kind of rush. Harry watched them for some time as they ran around like headless chickens. "Report!" he barked.

"Glad you got here" said Sharpe. "We just got news that Princess Diana was in a car crash. Our French counterparts said that it was caused by dark wizards" and Harry frowned.

"We let some slip?" he queried.

"They don't think so" said Sharpe, and Harry looked at some of the reports. "Where are you going?" he added when Harry had spun around and headed out the door.

"To Paris" Harry replied.

"You can't simply go and save her" Sharpe said. "You'll be breaking the International Secrecy Statutes – you know that" and Harry paused for a moment.

"I know" he said. "But I'm going anyway" and then he left. Sharpe looked at the Aurors on the night shift.

"Somebody get Jackson here please. I think this is a two Senior job" Sharpe begged, and one of his juniors went off to get Jackson.

#

Harry looked around to gain his bearings, and decided that he should head off in the direction of the flashing lights. He arrived to find a scene of complete chaos as people took pictures or stood around gawping at the spectacle.

"Non… Non" a policeman made a vain attempt to stop Harry from entering the tunnel, but Harry showed him the card he carried when abroad. If a muggle looked at it, then it would show he had diplomatic immunity. It was rather handy when Harry popped over to Calais to pick up some duty free. Harry saw that the car had crashed badly and that one man was dead, another possibly, another injured and a woman whom the entire world knew about.

"Good Morning, Your Highness" Harry said. "My name is Harry Potter, and I have something that will help you" and he shoved a potion down her throat. The French doctor looked at him with surprise, and then demanded to know what was going on. Harry told him – in perfect French – that it was an experimental drug, and that circumstances dictated the use of it. He then surprised the man by asking the fire fighters to cut open the wreckage of the car so the Princess could get step out. To the sheer amazement of everybody present, the woman did so and was treated by the doctor who simply was amazed at the rapid and almost instantaneous recovery of a person close to death. Harry meanwhile had gone into the back of the car and checked the passenger but it was too late. With a sigh he backed out and looked at Diana. "I'm sorry…" and the woman nodded and became slightly angry.

"I bet it was Charles that ordered it" she said. "Him and that bloody fucking Camilla" she fumed. Officials from the local embassy came along and took Diana and Harry to the embassy, and arrangements were made at once for them to return to Britain. Harry though used several memory charms to make them forget that they had been there. It turned out that Diana was aware of magic, so he apperated them both to Balmoral Castle in Scotland – not that far away from Hogwarts. The security officers on the doors took no effort at all as Harry simply made their footsteps silent as they walked up the gravel drive. They waited in the dining room for a few hours until a tall man with huge ears came in with two boys younger then Harry. The Queen, Prince Phillip and the Queen Mother also came into the room while the security officers waited outside the room.

"This should be interesting" remarked Diana.

"Indeed" Harry replied.

"Now boys…" the big eared guy said. "I'm afraid that something terrible has happened to your mother" and the elder of the boys looked puzzled.

"What, dad?" he asked.

"Your mother was in a car and it was hit by another one and made to crash into a tunnel wall. She is dead, I'm afraid" the Prince put on a suitable expression. The boys looked devastated as they started to believe what their father had said.

"That has about as much truth to that as the vows on our wedding night, Charles" Diana said. The royal family looked around the room but could not see who had spoken.

"Show yourself" commanded the Queen.

"As you wish, Your Majesty" Harry said, and he cancelled the disillusionment spell on himself and Diana. Nearly every jaw dropped in the room as Diana looked to be in almost perfect condition.

"I… I don't understand" said Charles.

"Your Majesty" Harry said. "What I am about to say may seem a little odd, but I can assure you and your family that this is the perfect truth. Do I have your permission to begin?" he added with a bow.

"You may" the Queen sat down on the nearest chair. William and Harry rushed over to their mother who hugged them whilst sending Charles death glares. Prince Phillip was trying to understand how Harry and Diana had been invisible, and the Queen Mother had opened and closed her mouth several times before going to the door and asking for a very strong pot of tea to be brought for her.

"The story starts a number of years ago" said Harry. "On the wedding night of the Prince and Princess Diana, the Prince did not spend it with his new wife. He was actually spending it with another woman by the name of Camilla Parker Bowles. For years his Highness had secret meetings where he would spend the night or several with her" and Harry continued talking for a full hour. The Queen grew more and more furious as time went on, and Charles went redder and redder.

"Is this true?" the Queen asked her son.

"Oh alright then… yes!" spat Charles. "I never loved her" he pointed to Diana, "But I did it so I could get an heir and carry on the family line" and moved with an evil intent towards Diana and the children.

"Not so fast" Harry gave a wave of his wand and sent Charles flying backwards. At the sound of the tumbling, the security men came in but the Queen sent them right back out again.

"I have never been more ashamed of you then now, Charles" she said. The head of state seemed to be thinking of something for a while. "Phillip? Can you get the security men in please?" she asked. Harry spoke aloud before anyone could do a thing.

"I would not bother Ma'am" he said. "Your husband is involved in this as well" and the Queen turned in her seat to face Prince Phillip.

"Not you as well" she said sadly. While most of them had been paying attention to the Queen, Charles had got up, grabbed a knife and then charged at Diana in an attempt to kill her and so cover up the rest of the tragic and torrid affair. However as Harry brought up his up wand to bear, the Queen Mother – showing none of the ninety plus years - took hold of one of the salt pots and threw it with pinpoint accuracy at her grandson and made him stumble away.

"Billy? Dave?" she shouted to two of the security men outside who came bursting in. "Take my grandson and son in law away and lock them up" and they did so with the aid of several other people.

"Perhaps you might want to take the boys to the playroom?" suggested the Queen, and Diana nodded and took them away while still wearing the clothes she had been wearing in the car crash.

"You have uncovered a nasty scandal, and we thank you for it" said the Queen.

"Nothing more then my duty, Ma'am" Harry bowed after putting away his wand.

"And in return, is there anything that your country can do for you? I have money after all" the Queen said, and Harry smiled as he started thinking of things.

"May I sit at your table, your Majesty?" he said, and the request was granted. With some paper and pen, Harry began to write out a list of things he wanted.

"Just these things, Ma'am" and he pushed the sheet over to his sovereign.

_Myself and my friends to be Knighted, Permission to ride in the next state opening of Parliament, Royal Decree to run a train on the network whenever I want, the ability to fly in the Battle of Britain flight._

"I think we can do all this" said the Queen with a smile, but that faded after a moment as she went over what had happened over the last hour and a bit.

#

It wasn't until mid-morning when Harry arrived back home, and he looked at the surprised looks on their faces.

"Where have you been?" asked Hannah weakly.

"Well I saved a woman from dying, uncovered a case of adultery and got myself a knighthood" Harry said.

"Oh" Hannah seemed distracted by something. When he looked at the others they also seemed this way.

"What is the matter?" asked Harry.

"We got a little surprise that's all" said Dean, and he rolled his eyes towards the kitchen door. Harry followed his gaze and saw…

"Miss me?" asked Hermione. Harry's jaw opened and closed like he was part of a crazy golf course.

"Oh my gods…" Harry rushed over and embraced Hermione tightly as he sobbed into her shoulder. Then the pair kissed for a full five minutes without stopping for air.

"I guess you did miss me then" Hermione breathed. Harry thought how lucky he was to get Hermione back and he grabbed her hand and started to drag her towards the stairs and the bedroom that waited for both of them. "Where are we going?" Hermione had to ask the question.

"We're going to my… our room" Harry replied.

"To do what?" asked his newly returned to life wife.

"I'm going to fuck you silly and senseless for the next three days" Harry said, and the girls in the room blushed a deep red.

"And then what?" Hermione's voice drifted down the stairs.

"Then I'm going to make love to you" Harry's reply came back.

**A/N:**

**Well so there you have it!**

**Hermione's BACK! Now in the poll (results should be visible) I said that if you all voted for Hermione to return, then there would be a hidden catch. As a plot twist, Ginny is not the twist. This is it: The first voyage of the newly refitted **_**Titanic**_** will be to North Korea! No… really it is.**

**Well there is a reference to Star Trek VI somewhere in here, and I've waited 24 bloody chapters to find a place to slot it in to.**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Glowing I REPEAT glowing reviews will result in an entire chapter of M rated Harry/Hermione action. (suggest tissues are kept on standby for both man and women…)**

**Regards**

**Pixel**


	26. A Dark Secret

**A Dark Secret**

Harry and the group spent the rest of the holiday with Ginny, and they found that the girl was true to her word. She spent several hours per day watching the television, and she found it all fascinating as to what muggles could actually do without magic. One film though had scared her very much, and Harry found it was a programme on nuclear war and the attacks on Japan in 1945.

"How… How… How could they do that?" she asked him in a whisper.

"It is not humanity's finest moment" Harry replied. "But it was a desperate measure. Even though the allies were winning, millions of innocent people could have been killed if Japan had been invaded. It was better to kill a few thousand in both cities rather then those millions" and Ginny considered what he had said for some time.

"Then how do you win against a war with those kind of weapons?" she pointed to the screen.

"The only winning move is not to play" Harry replied, and then changed the channel. The thoughts, sounds, sights and smells of war was still fresh in his mind.

#

"I was wondering if I could go out tomorrow" said Ginny at dinner that evening.

"As long as you go with somebody" Harry granted her. "Where did you want to go?" he added.

"Just to those shops in the town. I've not been able to get round them all yet. And I want to buy some more clothes for myself as well" said the red head.

"I'll take her" said Lavender. "I wanted to go anyway" and so it was agreeed. After dinner, a message was received asking for Harry's attendance at Gringotts the following morning at eight. Harry briefly wondered what was going on, but then he set it aside as he went to the living room. While a summons to Gringotts would have taken first place, tonight was Star Trek night. Gringotts would have to wait until later.

#

"Why don't you come with us?" Harry asked Hermione. "You are my wife after all" and Hermione nodded and grabbed her jacket before joining her husband in the floo. A flash of green filled their vision and then they appeared at Gringotts. The pair made their way to the nearest teller, and Harry asked to see Griphook at once. The goblin led them into his office and began to explain why Harry had been called to the bank so early.

"During your time away from the magical world, several of the trials took place. One of those was that of Albus Dumbledore. All of his properties, investments and other entitlements have been given to you as compensation. All you have to do is to sign for them and they become yours. I assume that you would want to go down to the vaults afterwards?" Griphook asked, and Harry nodded. Once the paperwork was signed, the three took a cart down to the lowest levels of the bank. They had to walk half a mile from the tracks, and then they came upon a security dragon.

"Oh crap" said Harry, and he moved in front of Hermione. Griphook seemed not to be afraid.

"OI!" he shouted. "GET OUT OF HERE, DORIS" and the dragon started at him before moving away. "Bloody thing" muttered the goblin. Harry and Hermione looked at each with grins as they followed him. They came to a heavy metal door set inside a archway into the stone wall. Griphook muttered something under his breath, and then all of the visable locks – and the ones _inside_ the door – clicked open one by one and then the door opened.

"Holy cow…" Hermione gasped. From ceiliing to floor the entire vault was covered filled with coins. There was enough space from them to walk down the middle of the vault, and Harry and Hermione crossed over to the far side where a little wooden door was set into the stone wall.

"What is in here?" Harry asked Griphook.

"I am ashamed to say that I have no idea" replied the Goblin. "When Albus Dumbledore came to his vaults, he would ask me to wait outside. I've never seen these myself" and tha wzas surprising to both Harry and Hermione. The Goblins knew what was going on in their bank – even if security was of the highest. Then again, Dumbledore had been very respected for years before Harry had brought everything out on show.

"Well I suppose that we better open it up" Hermione said, and she withdrew her wand and tapped the door to unlock it. When nothing worked, Harry did the same thing and it opened with a creak.

"Is that you, Albus?" asked a girl's voice. "You have been most remiss in your visits recently. I was sure that you had forgotton all about me. My food and water has very nearly run out" and an exchange of looks took place between the two humans and a goblin. "Are you there, Albus?" asked the voice. Clearly whoever was inside knew Dumbledore's name. Harry and Hermione went in followed by Griphook. In the room was a bed, a table, a chair to sit on and a toilet and bath. The girl was sat on her bed and was wearing Victorian era clothes – the theme fitted in with the little furniture that there was in the room. The girl looked right at them and seemed surprised by their appearance. "Who are you?" she asked.

"My name is Hermione. This is my husband Harry and our friend Griphook. May we ask who you are?" enquired Hermione.

"My name is Ariana Dumbledore" replied the girl. Harry and Hermione's internal body temperatures cooled as a chil passed through them. Griphook remained calm but was furious at the thought of someone being kept in Gringotts without anyone's knowledge.

"Could you tell me where Albus is?" asked Ariana. "He has not been to see me for some time, and my food and water has nearly run out" and Harry and Hermione exchanged looks.

"There is something we need to tell you about… Albus" Harry said.

"Is he dead?" asked Ariana.

"Well he isn't dead, but he has been sent to prision for doing very bad crimes. The Ministry gave me his vaults as payment for what he had done. We are very surprised to see you in here. He told us you were… well dead" Harry said. The teenaged girl was thoughtful for a moment and then seemed to remember something.

"My apologies" she said to the trio. She got up off the bed and told Harry, Hermione and Griphook that they could sit on it instead. "Excuse me for being so rude, but perhaps you could tell me why you are wearing such strange apparel?" and the two older teens looked surprised for a moment before Hermione realised Ariana meant their clothes.

"This is going to be difficult to explain" she began. "We are from a point in history further then yours" and to her surprise, Ariana seemed to understand her completely.

"Albus told me what he had done. He hit me with a stunning spell and brought me here. He said he couldn't risk a freak like me uncovering a secret like the Wizarding World. He told me that as long as I stayed in this room I would be alright. If I was to try and leave, then he would kill me where I stood. Time passed outside this room I know because Albus would change and get older whilst I remained my young self" Ariana paused for a moment. "If he is still around, could I see Aberforth please?" but Harry had to break the news that her brother was dead. When she asked if Dumbledore was the killer, they replied that they didn't really know. "If I have no family, then who can I reside with?" asked the girl.

"You can stay with me and Hermione. There are a few other people in the house, but I am certain that they would like to get to know you" Harry said.

"Oh I could not presume to intrude into your home" said Ariana. Hermione assured her that it would not be too much trouble at all.

#

The cart ride back up was slower then the one coming down, and that was because Griphook was taking things nice and easy on the considoration of Ariana. When they reached the bank again, Harry, Hermione and the girl sat in the largest of the conference rooms while Griphook called Marchbanks to come over at once. It took her a few minutes to come to Gringotts, and she was surprised to see Ariana sitting with the Potters.

"Hello, Mr and Mrs Potter" Marchbanks said. "May I ask who this young lady is?" she added.

"This is another victim of Albus Dumbledore's cruelety. Madam Marchbanks, meet Ariana Dumbledore" Hermione said, and Marchbanks opened and closed her mouth several times.

"Merlin's ghost" she breathed. "I can not believe my eyes. How did you find her?" the Minister asked. Harry and Hermione explained the discovery and Ariana told her tale from the moment she had been imprisioned by her oldest brother.

"What will you be doing now?" asked Harry.

"We'll have to take her to St Mungos to be completely examined. Then we find a family for her to live with until she is 17" Marchbanks said. She gazed at the blonde, blue eyed girl who sat with her hands in her lap.

"I promised that she could live with us" said Harry.

"The law states that she must be taken into the custody of the Ministry" Marchbanks said. Ariana gripped Harry's sleeve very tightly. She was scared about what had just been said. She was afraid of Marchbanks who seemed imposing to her.

"I promised that I take her to my house. It is the safest place on the planet because only I and my friends know where it is located. It would take an assult by every nuclear bomb on the planet to get the wards down. Death Eaters not marked by Voldemort are still on the loose. Can you imagine what they would do to her if they got hold of her? Or for that matter if Dumbledore was to escape and finish what he started?" Harry felt the anger rise up in him.

"Mr Potter" Marchbanks began, but Hermione cut her off before she could say another word.

"Madam Marchbanks. I said before that I was tired of the Wizarding world. I have just about had enough of all the fighting that has gone on all these years. All the pettiness that is still around. You are talking about the letter of the law, and here we have a girl who has been imprisoned unfairly. She is very scared and just wants to know some decent food. Either you allow her to come with us, or I will cripple the magical part of Britain for the next thousend years" there was an omnious as Harry stared at the Minister. Marchbanks was now calculating how many seconds she would last in a fight with him. When that figure failed to get past three, she relented but said that she wanted to see Ariana when she was better. The three of them left the room and left behind a very shaken woman. Griselda Marchbanks was not a seer, but even she could have done a Trelawny and predicted her own death. Perhaps it was time that she re-evalulated the Ministry and went back to start putting changes into place. First on her list would be the way that the Ministry treated children with no families.

#

Like the arrival of Ginny, Ariana's appearance at Allcroft House caused some confusion and delay. She was introduced to everyone else, and taken to the kitchen for some decent food for a change. Harry though asked Ginny to remain behind.

"Now I've been watching you over the last couple of weeks, and I'm lpeased by how well you have kept to the terms of your release" Harry said. Ginny simply nodded as she didn't understand what Harry meant. "Now You'll hear more about Ariana later on, but I have something to say to you. She needs a friend about her age, and you are the closest to that here. If you help her with whatever she wants to do or needs, then I might see my way to releasing you from your oath" Ginny blinked as the realisation set in and then she rushed to Harry and wrapped her arms around him as she hugged the boy tightly.

"Thank you" she whispered, and then gave him a kiss on the cheek before running to the kitchen. Harry watched her vanished through the door and then shook his head with a smile.

"I'm getting too bloody soft" he muttered.

#

The press had a field day with the news that Ariana was still alive, and Harry ensured that Dumbledore read and heard every bit of news about her. As for the girl herself, Ariana took some days to begin to not talk in the old ways, and seemed to pick up things very easily. She did have a moment when she a screaming match at the television for not listening to her. Ariana became friends with everyone and thy spent many happy hours sat in the garden listening to the sounds of the trains passing by and the birds twittering in the air. the group discovered that she had several gifts which included being a good artist. She wasn't as good as Dean or Ginny, but was skilled none the less. One night – before they had to decide on something – the group was sitting outside and watching the stars twinkle in the crystal clear sky. The moon was exceptionally bright that night as well.

"Would you sing us a song?" asked Lavender of Ariana. The girl nodded and then thought for a moment before starting.

_I know how the moon must feel  
Looking down from the heavens  
Smiling at the silly things  
We put ourselves through  
Missing magic each day  
and not seeing the wonder  
That's how the moon must feel_

_I know how the moon must feel  
Starting right and contented  
Everything is beautiful  
as it all should be  
Far away from it all  
Never meaning to hurry  
That's how the moon must feel_

_From up there our worries must seem very small  
Maybe that is why he wears a smile  
I'm sure he knows if there is more to life  
I wish I could be him for a while_

_I know how the moon must feel  
Looking down from the heavens  
Smiling at the silly things  
We put ourselves through  
Missing magic each day  
and not seeing the wonder  
That's how the moon must feel_

_I'm sure he knows if there is more to life  
I wish I could be him for a while _

_I know how the moon must feel  
and I can't say I blame him  
Smiling at the silly things  
We put ourselves through  
Never taking the time  
Always running in circles  
That's how the moon must feel_

"Wow…" said Dean. "That was amazing" he added. He had never heard anything so beautiful in his entire life. After Ariana had blushed from the praise they went inside to sleep. In the morning they had lots of things to talk about. One of them was the fact that most of them had one last year to complete in order to achieve their NEWTs.

#

"Hermione said that you wanted to talk to me" Ariana said as she sat down in an armchair.

"Yeah" Harry replied. "Now Hermione told me that you've been able to assimilate our collective memories regarding spells and things like that" and Ariana nodded.

"They've been a great help" she replied. "Now I know all the spells, charms and things like you all do. Well except Ginny of course" and Harry smiled.

"Now the reason I want to talk to you is because for the next few months I'm your guardian, and for that reason I was wondering if you wanted to go to Hogwarts" and at his words, Ariana's face light up like a pinball machine when you won a free life.

"You mean I can go to school? Get to learn spells and charms and all sorts of things like that? Oh yes please. Hermione has told me all about the library there. Aberforth used to read to me before Albus locked me away" and Harry's heart felt warm.

"Well I've decided that I'll return as well. I'm doing this for someone I respect a great deal. The previous Headteacher was killed after the final battle, and the new one is finding it very hard to have people return to the school. While I hate using my fame, if it is known that I am returning to Hogwarts, then people will think that it is safe to come back" Harry said, and Ariana could understand that.

"Will the Healer there be able to keep the outbursts under control?" she enquired. One of the things that had re-emerged after being freed from her tiny prison at Gringotts was the bursts of magic. These had been brought under control with the use of a number of potions, but she still suffered from them from time to time. Ariana could always tell when she would have an attack, and so she would go down into the cellar where she could do no harm. As these happened in the mornings, she could then enjoy the rest of the day. After talking with the Healers at St Mungos, it was discovered that they could restrict the effects by use of a potion. These had not been around for very long, but they reduced the power of the outbursts by a great deal. It was speculated that the outbursts could even be stopped. Ariana had then sobbed for a full hour as she was told the news.

"I am sure she will" said Harry. "Madam Pomfrey can do wonders you know. And I do believe she is a half decent healer as well" and they shared a laugh together. "Now from one disaster to another… Hermione is cooking dinner" and Ariana grimaced. The last time Hermione had cooked, it had taken a combination of Harry, Dean and Seamus to kill the resultant mass.

#

"Thank Merlin for the fire extinguishing charm" said Hannah as she coughed her head off.

"How the hell do you burn a salad?" demanded Parvati.

"I don't know" said Hermione. Harry came out of the kitchen with smoke pouring out behind him, and he was covered in soot marks from head to foot.

"I put out the fire" he wheezed. After he had got upstairs for a shower and change, he decided to take everyone out for dinner on the next train. When they got to the other end, it was found that no other train was running back. But when Harry spoke to the yard workers and several of the engines, they put on a coach and Oliver pulled them back to Knapford. The engines, their crews and other members of the railway had been surprised when they had first seen Ariana, but paid no real thought after Harry had told them what had happened. By now they had become used to seeing odd things happen around him anyway.

#

Hogwarts had been somewhat repaired by the time that the new term had come around. Whilst it had been destroyed in the plunge into Riddle Manor, huge sections had survived the carnage, and hundreds of witches and wizards had started to build the castle again. Whilst it looked the same from the outside, inside it was very very different. For one thing, the potions department no longer had to be held in drafty old dungeons. Because of Ariana's condition, she was given a room of her own near to the rebuilt Gryffindor Tower. This was because she would be closest to the biggest number of people who could help her. It was also like that if the attacks started near the lions den. After the protective wards had been placed, Harry was forced to make Ariana have an attack to see if the wards stood firm. Because the girl was going to be the sole permanent occupier, she was allowed to decorate it in her own style which was unique. She had asked Harry if she could have some chickens around the house, and he agreed so it was her job to feed them. Harry hadn't minded at all as it provided a link to her previous life, and he hadn't had to buy eggs from the shop as much now. In the whole, Ariana enjoyed her new life with Harry and the group, and asked that she might stay with them after she was emancipated. He had chuckled at that and said she could stay with them for as long as she wanted.

The day before the year started, everyone had taken sleeping potions to let them be awake during the night. This was because Harry had arranged to have Gordon pull the Hogwarts Express. To get there, he would be travel on the lines all the way to Kings Cross. He would be pulling only one coach which would have the group inside. It was Harry's personal coach which he had had fitted out to his specifications, and boasted an on board cinema.

Ariana's first view of Hogwarts made her gasp as she saw the lights shining brightly over the lake. For Harry and the others though it would always be different. Whilst the main parts of the castle had been put together again by the correct use of the _Humpty Dumptyus_ spell, most of the upper floors were still missing. The only towers that actually stood was the Gryffindor tower and the Astronomy tower. A lot of the old guard had either died or remained in St Mungos under going treatment. After McGonagall's death people had wondered about who would get the top job. Some had asked Harry to assume the role, but he had declined saying that he hadn't finished his education yet. After much squabbling over the subject, Harry had let it be known in the press that he always thought that Flitwick would make a great Headmaster someday. By an odd coincidence Flitwick was installed in the role the very next day. The sorting was a sad affair as many of the previous years student body had not returned, but Harry was pleased to see Ariana placed into Gryffindor – though she'd be in her own room for the safety of herself and others. As Harry lay in bed with Hermione curled up beside him, he wondered if he could get permission to sail to North Korea with _Titanic_.

**A/N:**

**Well I know I promised you something else, but I couldn't get Ariana out of my head. I've been reading stories with her in them, and have worked out who had killed her. I suspect it was Dumbledore. What I worked out was that if Dumbledore was really powerful and had at least one of the Deathly Hallows, he could have put his sister under a spell which mad it seem like death, taken her to his personal vault and imprisoned her there for nearly a hundred years. Dumbledore could have put a spell on the room to ensure that she stayed young whilst she was inside, but would be fully aware of the passage of time. To keep in canon somewhat, I've put about her attacks of magic and how she fed chickens around her house. I actually found it fun to write Ariana's lines when she first appears because it sounded so formal.**

**Some of you might be wondering what is behind my theme of Harry adopting or taking care of children whose parents have died or can not otherwise look after them such as Rudi in Harry Potter True Friends, multiple people in I'm Not Going and Ginny and Ariana in this fic. Whilst I would normally say why, this is a reason that I and I alone must keep. Let us just say that I have a soft spot for people in these situations. That's why my Harry's stand up and do what is right – hence the Harry V Marchbanks scene at Gringotts. While canon Harry would defer to older people, my Harry's have been through wars and have had loved ones die. He wouldn't be too bothered to actually kill somebody in order to do the right thing.**

**Now if none of you get the joke spell I placed in the chapter, then you shouldn't read this fic ever again! If anyone can spot the quote from WarGames, then award yourself a biscuit. The same goes for identifying the film from which the song is from. If you get all three right, then you should have three biscuits.**

**Well the next chapter will have Harry, Hermione, their friends, Ariana, Ginny and the Royal Family going to North Korea on holiday. And to make up for this chapter not being what it was, the attack on **_**Titanic**_** will be a full fleet engagement. Be sure to enjoy that.**

**Until then,**

**Pixel**


	27. Korean Kapers

**Korean Kapers**

Harry had decided that _Titanic_ was only happy if she was full, so he invited the Queen, the Queen Mother, Princess Diana and the two Princes to join him, Hermione and their extended family to sail with them to North Korea. The sight of _Titanic_ in the dockyard was one to behold as she was now repaired and seaworthy once again. Harry had done his research and had had made the original fittings made. When it came to her sea trials, there had been some discussion about her watertight bulkheads, but Harry had obtained an exemption under the grandfather rights principle. Everything inside the vessel was as close to original condition but the exceptions were the galley, one of the lounges and the small radar unit that was sat on the bow. Because of the destination of where they were going, most of the group had trained and obtained licenses for a gun – for the use of repelling boarders. There wasn't much danger of that happening though as _Titanic_ was currently surrounded by _HMS Cumberland, HMS Chatham, HMS York_ and _HMS Prince of Wales_. Before the ship had left Southampton, the senior navy captain had attempted to have a helicopter landing platform installed on the forward deck. Harry and the Queen had personally made him walk the plank – much to the amusement of the crew.

#

"This is so romantic" Hermione said as she leaned into Harry. Both of them stood on the flying bridge of _Titanic_.

"Being with me on the most famous vessel of all time, or the fact we're surrounded by heavily armed warships?" Harry asked slyly.

"Being with you is romantic enough" Hermione replied, and turned her head so she kissed him on the lips. "And you are also kind and considerate" the last part was referring to what was in _Titanic_'s holds. Not counting the supplies needed for the voyage to North Korea and back, the vessel's cargo holds were filled from top to bottom with food and medical supplies for the North Koreans to use. Together they watched the _Chatham_ as she sailed in front of _Titanic_ through the seas 400 miles off the coast of Russia. The plan was to sail around Russia, put in a courtesy call to Japan and then go around South Korea and up to Nampo. A few minutes later, the pair of them went inside for dinner which was served in the First Class Dining Room. Dinner was done in the same style – more or less – as _Titanic_'s first delayed voyage.

_Starter_

_Leek and Potato Soup_

_Prawn Cocktail_

_Main Course_

_Roast Beef – Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, Baked Suet_

_Peas, Carrots, Sweetcorn, Spring Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower._

_Chicken Kiev_

_Salmon – Accompanied by a luxury lemon and Mushroom Sauce_

_Dessert_

_Glazed Fruit_

_Ice Cream – Strawberry, Mint or Coffee_

_Apple Pie and Custard_

Everyone had a good dinner, but Harry – being the kind and considerate person he was – asked what the crews of the four escorting vessels were eating.

"Curry, pizza and things like that one assumes" said the Queen.

"Well it seems a shame that they are eating that when we are eating all of this" Harry thought for a moment, and then he looked directly at the Queen. "As Commander in Chief, could you give an order that the crews are to come aboard for dinner on _Titanic_? We have the room after all" and the Queen nodded before excusing herself and heading to the radio room to give the order. With the use of four helicopters, the whole fleet was well fed. One amusing point had been when one person requested to go on the last trip. When he arrived for his ferry across from _HMS York_ to _Titanic_, he had arrived in his full dress uniform. When Harry asked him why, the answer was that he was going to be dining with the Queen. When Her Majesty had heard, she found the man and awarded him a medal on the spot for dedication.

#

"Do you think we could see some magic?" asked Prince William.

"I'm not supposed to show you magic at all" said Harry.

"Since when has that ever stopped you?" enquired Hermione from her lounger. Harry glared at her before agreeing to the request from the eldest of the two Princes. Harry spent half an hour doing the standard routine, and ended by sticking swords into a box which contained the Patil twins. They both apperated out and then back again when needed.

"Harry" Hermione said, and two heads snapped round.

"Yes?" they said at the same time. Hermione groaned at the fifth use of that that day.

"Prince Harry then" she settled for. "Your mother wants to speak to you" and he left followed by William who seemed to want to know what was going to be said.

"They wanted me to show them some magic" Harry explained to Hermione.

"I guess it was hard to decide what to show them" his wife said.

"Not really, but I'll show you something that is hard" Harry locked the door with a snap of his fingers and pulled his wife towards him.

"I don't think we should be needed for a while" Hermione mumbled between episodes of snogging the living daylights out of Harry. He began by moving his hands over Hermione's chest and allowing them to run over her breasts lightly. Hermione allowed a soft moan to escape from her lips, and kissed Harry on the forehead. Harry let his mouth move downwards towards her navel and Hermione shivered at the sensations she felt. Harry meanwhile had let one hand snake downwards towards the space between her legs and moved his fingers in circles so they lightly brushed her warm core and Harry's touch made Hermione go wet. Harry's other hand was gently tweaking the nipples on Hermione's breasts just hard enough for it to make her cry out, but not enough to hurt – Harry wanted this to be special for Hermione. She moved one of her hands down and took a tentative grip on Harry's hardened shaft, and gave it a little squeeze which made Harry moan as well. By now the fingers on Harry's lower hand where now dipping into the entrance of Hermione and he let them go all the way to the hand, but slowly so she got used to it. Harry loved every moment of his life at that very moment. Hermione knelt and licked and sucked on his hardened length. Without being asked to, Hermione shuffled closer and Harry began to tease her already hardened nipples. After a while, she stopped her ministrations to Harry and took him inside herself. She kept going up and down like the pistons in Titanic's engine room. Harry was glad he used silencing charms on the room and door before they started this.

"Don't stop, Harry" Hermione said, and Harry used his finger and thumb and pinched Hermione's nipples hard – something he knew she liked.

"That good enough?" he smirked.

"You bastard, Harry" Hermione swore, "Do that again please" she asked, and Harry complied. But while he did so.

"Thought you'd like that" Harry smiled, and withdrew his fingers from her.

"Oh yeah" she managed to get out. Hermione was making moaning noises and they suddenly became much more urgent and louder as she reached an orgasm. They reached one together which felt like both teens giving off waves of energy.

#

"I think Harry and Hermione just reached an orgasm" said Parvati idly as she flicked through a book.

"Who do you know that?" asked Lavender.

"Because the tea cup has been rattling like crazy for the last two minutes" Padma replied for her sister

#

A two minute long orgasm made Hermione feel as if she was going to pass out. She slipped off Harry with a pop and rolled onto the conjured up bed to snuggle up to him. They basked in the warmth of love making until both had recovered enough to go for round twelve.

"I want it all" she said, and Harry nodded to show he understood. Hermione smiled back at him, then went back to work on Harry. She fetched a Stamina Potion for Harry to use and he was back to full power at once. Hermione was back to bobbing her head and she got faster and faster and she started to use her teeth to lightly scrape along Harry's hardness making him arch his back slightly. Harry could feel himself ready to blow and Hermione's bobbing suddenly picked up speed until her head was a blur. Harry put one hand onto the bottom of his shaft and his right on Hermione's head. Using that one, he forced her head down and for the first time the tip of him went against the back of her throat and Harry blew. Wave after wave of semen burst from Harry's length and Hermione swallowed each and every bit of it with Harry pumping each drop from himself, but saving one last shot for the end. Hermione thought she had taken every bit of Harry's hot and slightly salty semen inside her, and she pulled her mouth away from Harry, and Harry let his hand go and came over her face surprising Hermione a great deal.

"Now that was good" said Harry.

"Don't I know it" his wife agreed. When she wondered how she was going to get back to their cabin, Harry simply scooped her in his arms and apperated them there.

"Like that" he said, and led her to the bath that awaited them both.

#

"Hello, your highness" said Lavender to William, "Is there something I can do?" she asked.

"I was wondering if you could answer something for me" the prince asked.

"I'll try" Lavender put down the book she was reading.

"Why does Harry stop talking whenever someone mentions families?" William asked. Lavender wasn't exactly sure how she could explain Voldemort to a child.

"When Harry was just about a year old, a very evil wizard called Voldemort killed his parents. He would have died as well if an old type of magic hadn't reacted to the Killing Curse, but he was left with the scar on his forehead" Lavender explained.

"But why didn't somebody adopt him?" asked William. Lavender couldn't figure out an answer to that question. Luckily, Susan came to her aid and answered the question for her.

"A bad man called Dumbledore put him with people who hated magic. They beat him for the rest of his life until he was able to escape from them last year" the red haired girl said.

"That must be why he looks jealous of me and Harry when mum hugs us" William said.

"That's why. For years he didn't know what a loving family was. Then he married Hermione but she was killed by another bad man who worked for Dumbledore" Susan said. William took this in and then thought of something that didn't make sense to him.

"If Hermione died, then who is that I spoke to?" he asked.

"Well Hermione _did_ die, but then she got better again" Susan said. William tried to figure this out, and then he gave up and went off in search of some sandwiches.

# # # # #

Harry woke in the warmth of his wife, and they looked at each other before getting up and sorting themselves out for the day. It was the day that the small fleet put in a stop to a Japanese port for a quick top up of fuel, and just to say a hello to the neighbours. They all had a great time looking at the local culture, and even found a shop which was selling some very old books on Japanese magic spells and charms. Harry and Hannah watched as Hermione and Padma looked at all of the old books. They purchased each and every one of them, and had them shrunk down for returning to _Titanic_ later on.

"Trust the brainy bunch to find the books" Hannah remarked to Harry who could only agree.

"At least this will keep them occupied for the rest of the voyage" he said. He looked at his watch and then said it was time to pick up Susan, Ginny and Ariana from the beauty parlour. The three girls came out all perfumed and 'perdy' as Susan described herself. Everyone was ready to board the ship, and Harry looked around at the crowds that had come to watch the departure of _Titanic_ and her escorts. As he watched the far dockside, a small boy broke free of his mother's hold and fell into the dockside. People started screaming and Harry shoved his packages into the nearest person's arms, kicked off his shoes and jumped into the dockside to save the boy. He couldn't see him on the surface, so he went under the water and looked for him. When he couldn't see him, Harry cast a wandless _Accio_ and the boy zoomed into his arms. His eyes were shut and he wasn't moving so Harry headed to the surface quickly where one of the Royal Navy vessels had launched a boat to pick them up.

"We need to get him to hospital" said a crew member.

"But in this crowd?" commented another. The ship's medical team worked on the boy and kept doing so as they loaded him onto a helicopter and took him to the nearest hospital – breaking several air regulations in the process. Sailing was delayed until Harry found out that the boy was alive and would recover. From what he had told the Japanese doctors, he had broken free from his mother's hand and fallen into the dock and banged his head whilst doing so. By the time that _Titanic_ and the fleet set sail, it was night time and the harbour was lit up like a giant Christmas tree. They put out to sea and commenced sailing to Nampo, North Korea. As it was only a short distance as the seahorse swam, they fleet sailed at a reduced speed and Hermione showed Harry how pleased she was with Harry saving the boys life that night in bed.

#

"They're at it again" remarked Dean.

"I wonder if we could fit their bed with dampers?" put in Seamus.

#

"A couple of vessels coming at us to starboard, sir" said the First Lieutenant.

"Really?" said the Captain. He was surprised, but thought that the North Koreans had sent an escort ship of their own. "We better move out of their way" he said after looking at them. He gave orders to the petty officer at the wheel to turn to port to move out their way and avoid a collision. A moment later and the order was passed on to _Titanic_ and the rest of the fleet. To the surprise of the officers and crew on the bridge, the other ships turned towards them and the Captain gave the order to go to alert status.

"They're signalling to us" said the second in command. He read the flashing light sent out by the lead ship in the formation. "RN ships… RN ships… heave to and stay where you are. Do not attempt to be evade or you will be fired upon. I think she means to board us" he finished.

"Get me the commander of that vessel" the Captain ordered. "And bring the fleet to slow ahead" he added. It took a while for _Titanic_ to slow, but they had managed it as some of the crew identified the vessels.

"Captain?" called the petty officer. "Two of those ships are American destroyers. The rest look like South Korea ships" and the Captain asked him if he was certain about the US vessels. "Sure as I'm standing here, sir" said the man.

"_This is Captain Lovender of the _USS Blue Ridge._ You are hereby ordered to heave to and be inspected. You are in breach of United States embargo rules_" and the Captain looked at the astonished faces. They had actually been ordered to stop in the water and be inspected by foreign powers.

"This is Captain Hornblower of the Royal Navy vessel, _HMS York_. We will not comply with your request to stop and be searched. Your rules do not apply to us. We are on a peaceful mission and will continue on our way" the Captain waited for the reply that came back right away.

"_You will do as ordered, or you will be boarded and your crews placed under arrest. You are breaking a US embargo of all ships going into North Korea. Should you fail to stop, then you will be fired upon until you comply with our orders_" said Lovender.

"Captain Lovender. I will give you a formal warning. Any attempt to prevent us from completing our mission will result in this vessel considering such an attempt to be a hostile act, and we will react accordingly" there was silence on the radio. Hornblower was sure that the other vessels in the fleet would be listening.

#

"_Do you hear there? All civilians to return to their cabins. All members of ship's crew to report to stations_" the message repeated several times. Harry raised an eyebrow and picked up his radio.

"Bridge? Harry here. What's going on?" he asked.

"_Several US and South Korean naval vessel are attempting to board us_" came the reply from Dean.

"I'm on my way" Harry said, and darted for the bridge.

#

"Sir?" one of the bridge lookouts called. "There's some activity going on on the deck. It almost looks as if they're going to… MISSILE INBOUND!" the crewman shouted.

"All hands man battle stations Close all hatches and ready damage control parties. Shoot that missile out of the air!" shouted the Captain. A moment later and the CIWS fired and blew the missile from the sky.

"_You see that we are not afraid to fire upon you. We will continue to fire until you surrender yourselves. Your crews will be arrested and taken to the nearest ports_" said Lovender on the radio link.

"The rest of the fleet are at action stations and awaiting instructions" said the second in command. _York_ turned to face the oncoming vessels. Before anyone could say anything else, two lookouts shouted that more missiles were coming in.

"Send to all ships – Return Fire" said Hornblower. The orders passed on as _York_ opened up with her weapons and defensive systems.

#

Everyone on _Titanic_ watched the extraordinary battle go on, and Harry ordered the ship to get out of the combat area. He was banking on the fact that the joint US/South Korean force wouldn't fire on a civilian ship. They watched as the two fleets fired at each other – nobody commented.

#

"Comm room – Bridge"

"_Comm room, Aye_"

"Send the following signal: _HMS York_ to Admiralty House. Am under attack by United States Navy and South Korean forces. Escorting ships have joined in attack. _Titanic_ proceeding out of the combat area. Request immediate assistance from any ships in the area. Send that at once in the clear" said the Captain. A missile was launched from one of the American ships and hit _York_ below the bridge.

#

"_York_'s been hit! _York_'s been hit!" Dean shouted. The other three Type 42 destroyers moved towards their injured sister. Harry could see that fire and smoke was pouring from _York_, but she was still afloat and capable of navigation. As they had their attention on the damage, none of them noticed the missile that narrowly missed hitting _Titanic_ until it had gone over their bow.

"That was fucking close" said Hannah. Harry went for the radio set in the Captain's day cabin and began broadcasting.

"MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY! This is the _RMS Titanic_ to any and all ships listening. This vessel is under attack. I repeat – this vessel is under attack. Attacking vessels are US and South Korean naval vessels. Request immediate assistance from any vessel" Harry gave the location of the _Titanic_ from memory. He repeated the message and then waited a while, all the time hearing the fighting that was going on.

"RMS Titanic_ from_ Pong Su" a heavily accented voice spoke in English. "_We have heard your distress call. We are moving to intercept. Our arrival time is ten minutes_" and Harry ran to tell the good news – just as a missile hit _Chatham_ amidships. The resultant fireball engulfed a large part of the starboard side and then faded leaving a gaping hole in its side through which flames could be seen inside.

"Dear god" Hermione whispered. She could only imagine what hell was going on in the ship.

"That does it" Harry turned to the first officer of _Titanic_. "Hand out weapons to the crew. Bring the ship about and prepare to engage the enemy" and the man stared at Harry before giving out the orders on the PA system. As he did so, Harry turned to the others and asked them to head into the deepest parts of the ship. As he expected, Hermione and the others said they would be staying on the bridge, but the Queen, Princess Diana, the two Princes, Ginny and Ariana went down below or headed deeper into the ship depending on where they where at the time.

#

"DAMAGE REPORT!" cried Pellew – _Chatham_'s commanding officer.

"We've taken a missile hit amidships" said a petty officer. "Damage control teams are tackling the damage as we speak. Fire suppression system is down in the sections affected. We've also lost most of the power lines from the engine room to the rest of the ship. We're running on battery systems only" and the Captain looked around at the fighting that was still going on.

"Pass the word to prepare to aban…. JESUS!" the Captain's order to abandon the ship was cut off as _Titanic_ stormed past _Chatham_ and headed towards the thickest part of the fighting. As it approached, _Titanic_ looked like the avenging angel of death as she steamed towards its target. "Do we still have the main gun?" he asked the petty officer.

"Yes sir" the man replied.

"Then tell them that manual firing and aiming is authorised" the Captain ordered. Then all hell broke loose. One of the South Korean ships fired a missile directly where the forward magazine was on _Chatham_. The ship lifted a full five foot out of the water and then slammed into the water again with such force it broke her back. Explosions from her internal machinery aided in her violent death.

#

"Dear god" Hermione croaked.

#

"We're going down" reported the Chief Petty Officer.

"Order all remaining hands to abandon ship" said the Captain. He went over to the PA system and spoke into it – not knowing that it was broken. "ABANDON SHIP! ABANDON SHIP! ALL HANDS ABANDON SHIP!" then he looked around at the ruined bridge. Only he and the enlisted man remained. Together they ripped the ship's crest of the rear bulkhead and the Captain entrusted it to the man's care.

"What are you going to do, sir?" asked the man.

"I'm going to see if I can fire any weapons at the enemy. If we're going down, then I'm sure as hell going to take them with me" the Captain said. The Petty Officer stiffened to attention, saluted and then left the bridge so his CO couldn't see the tears that ran from his eyes. Almost as a miracle, the engine controls worked, so taking the wheel himself, he went to as much of full power as he could get and headed right for the nearest ships. They seemed to get what he was attempting to do, and tried to move away. But they failed and _Chatham_ went up in the biggest fireball ever seen by most of the watchers.

#

Everyone on _Titanic_ stopped to watch the remains of _Chatham_ go down after causing damage to several of the opposing vessels.

"Launch boats to pick up survivors" Harry said quietly.

#

"My god" said the Captain of _Prince of Wales_. "Yeoman?" he called to his aide.

"Yes, sir?"

"Make to Admiralty from _Prince of Wales_. Tell them… tell them _Chatham_ has blown up"

"Aye Aye, sir"

#

"Ship bearing 045" said a lookout on _Titanic_.

"Can you identify?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure, but it looks like a North Korean ship" said the lookout.

"Signal it to defend _York_" Harry said. The battle went on for a full hour more before a missile struck the bow of _Titanic_. The explosion was so great that it nearly stopped the vessel in her tracks. Luckily the impact was above the waterline or it would have faced a repeat performance of its maiden voyage. "You twats" Harry said. "Which ship killed _Chatham_?" he asked. A crewman pointed out a South Korean destroyer which had turned so it was side on to _Titanic_. "Give me full power to the engines – ramming speed" and another crewman stared at Harry with wide eyes before complying. The mighty ship picked up speed and headed towards the ship that had fired upon it. But as it drew closer, they suddenly turned away and headed off at high speed. Harry was tempted to give chase in _Titanic_, but he decided that the damaged ships needed his help more then the retreating vessels needed sinking.

#

The battered but seemingly victorious fleet arrived safely in a North Korean naval port on the east coast, and they disembarked the wounded and dead first and took them to the naval hospital on the base. Dockyard workers came aboard and began the task of unloading the much needed supplies for the impoverished country. Meanwhile most of the passengers came off _Titanic_ and Harry surveyed the damage to the bow. A hole about four foot wide was blown open, and Harry knew it would take some time to repair. He decided to have the dockyard stick a patch on it and he would return to Belfast to have it fixed properly. At the bottom of the gangway stood a small black haired man with glasses on.

"Kimmie, my dear" the Queen went over to him and embraced him warmly. "How are you doing?" she asked.

"Better then you" he said in nearly accent less English.

"Well I'd like to thank you for that ship being around to help us out" the Queen said.

"I suspected the Americans and our southern cousins would try something like that" said the leader of North Korea. The Queen introduced her family and then Harry, Hermione and the group. They were pleasantly surprised by the fact Kim-Jong-Il was well aware of magic. "We're more open about magic you know. We are also a better country then people would think. The Americans and their allies have stopped nearly everything coming in by sea that isn't food, or other such aid. The Chinese and Russians do what they can to help, but we still don't have enough" he looked at Harry. "Of course the cargo you have in your holds will be of great help. The newest medical equipment for the majority of our hospitals. The latest medicines to give to the sick. I can not thank you enough for what you have done" and they walked to several cars waiting for them. The President and the Queen got in the front one whilst the rest got into the three slightly smaller limos at the back.

#

A welcoming banquet had been prepared for the guests of the country, and it also served as an awards ceremony for everyone in the fleet. They each received the Soldier's Honour Order and Hero of the Labor medals. The commanding officers of _York, Chatham, Cumberland_ and_ Prince of Wales_ all received the Order of Admiral Lee Sun Sin. For the naval personal, it would make for some very interesting talking points at the multi-navy gathering next year. As _Chatham_'s Commanding Officer had gone down with his ship, the senior surviving officer had gone up to take it for him.

Already questions were being asked about what had happened. A full marine detachment had been waiting at Yokohama port to arrest and detain the Captains of all the US ships that had taken part in the action. The US President had flown to the UK to apologise for what had happened, and said he would pay compensation for all the deaths that had been caused. The Prime Minister, an odious and vile man by the name of Tony Blair had tried to seize power totally by saying the Queen was dead. When people mentioned the fact she had been on TV, Blair said that she was a fake planted by enemies of the state. Harry and the Queen had made multiple Apparition trips, gone right to parliament where the sovereign had ordered Blair's arrest, and the dissolution of parliament. This had caused a nightmare in terms of legality, but it was discovered that the Queen still had the right to do so. She returned to North Korea – after appointing representatives to rule in her place – with Chris Patton in tow. He could be the first UK Ambassador to North Korea, and underline the commitment that the UK was making to its foreign policies. The group spent the rest of the holidays going round some of the nicer parts of the country, and the dockyard finished the temporary repairs to _Titanic_ and the surviving ships of the RN escorts. They sailed back with a couple of North Korean ships following them all the way back to Southampton.

**A/N:**

**First of all, I'm sorry for the long delay in this chapter being published. I have my reasons why – I just do want wish to say at this moment.**

**Hardest piece of this chapter was finding the name of a North Korean ship, but all I could find was one of a cargo ship. I hope my three readers from North Korea (honest! My reader traffic says I have three readers from the DPRK! BIG SHOUT OUT TO THOSE PEOPLE!). Names of all ships are accurate except for one of the Royal Navy ships which I called **_**Prince of Wales**_**. Now if anybody can get the name of the film that the quote that Prince of Wales' captain says, then award yourself a cookie. I will give you a clue:- it's a WW2 film.**

**Next chapters to be updated should be the HP/SW crossover and Never Assume The Worst.**

**CHALLENGE TIME: I see it's the challenge season, so he is my challenge to anyone willing to take it up. 1) Harry Potter and Hermione Granger pairing – 2) Weasley Bashing (Molly, Ginny, Ron, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Percy – NOT the twins. – 3) DUMBLEDORE BASHING A MUST! – 4) Marriage Contract for Harry.**

**Lets see what you can do!**

**Regards**

**Pixel**

**THE GOD OF ALL FANFICTION CREATION**


	28. What We Have Here, Is A Failure To Get A

**What We Have Here, Is A Failure To Get A Working Government**

Some Death Eaters had managed to escape from being killed or injured at the final battle, and so they had attempted to cause as much damage and chaos by making random attacks. Marchbanks had attempted to do the best she could with the limited numbers of Aurors she had, but it was clear that prison would not work as it was already full up. It was a difficult decision to make, but the Minister signed an order to have all Death Eaters whom were captured executed at the Ministry. People being people, some innocent people became victims of the situation and they got executed before any sort of trial could be done. Slowly and surely the semblance of order was taking a nose dive, and Harry was seriously thinking of heading to Allcroft House and living on the island of Sodor for the rest of his life. His other plan was to move Hogwarts – finally finished and repaired – to Sodor, but he didn't know what he was going to say to Air Traffic Control when they queried a 1000 plus years old castle flying in the Irish Sea.

"Only two more trials to go" said Hermione to Harry.

"I know" Harry sighed. "I have to go to these, but I wish I didn't have to" and Hermione could understand what he meant. The next few weeks would be filled with the cases of the last to be tried. There would be one group of idiots that had supported Dumbledore like the Weasleys – minus the twins and Ginny, and Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks would be tried together – as husband and wife. When Harry had found out the pair had married, things had kicked off big style. One thing that Harry knew was the fact that one of his father's own friends from school had betrayed him and participated in the murder of Hermione. The fact she got better and lived again had no matter in this case.

"I wish you didn't have to go as well" Hermione said soothingly, "But after this you'll never have to see them again if that's what you want" and Harry took a long time to answer.

"The only reason why they are going last is easy. I could kill them where they stood and feel nothing for it, but I could never hurt their child. At least I let them spend some time knowing him, only to have it cruelly snatched away." and Harry went from his wife's embrace to the bedroom to have a nap. This was an odd but cute thing Hermione had discovered – Harry was partial to afternoon naps. The only idea she could think of was that after going through a large number of traumas, Harry's magic was taking the time to settle down to something more normal.

#

"Well as much as I love the beds at Hogwarts, I can't wait to sleep in my own bed for once" said Daphne to her sister.

"I know what you mean" agreed Astoria. "Then again why did we never think of simply bringing our own mattresses to school?" and Daphne was stunned to figure out she hadn't thought of that. They laughed and joked as they walked down the lane towards their house… and found it smoking badly. The building was intact but an immense fire had blackened the outer walls. When both girls found their minds, they took out their wands and approached the place with caution. The windows and doors had been sealed with magic, and a type of magical fire put inside to kill anyone who was in the house. Hoping that they would find their mother was out at the time of the attack, they entered the house by blasting open the front door and searched the ground floor. They found nothing and went to the next floor searched from both sides, and as Astoria was entering the upstairs study she saw a tall hooded figure stood over a figure on the ground. Her scream made the person turn round and start firing curses at her. In return he found himself facing several dark curses as this was no ordinary student the rogue male Death Eater was facing – he was facing a survivor of the Battle of The Line. Another survivor arrived and Daphne joined her sister in firing dark curses off, but the man was too fast for them and blocked them off before turning on the spot to apperate. As he lowered his wand to perform the journey, Daphne hit him with a spell which might have took his arm off. When the Death Eater had gone the pair of them went over to the person on the floor and found their mother lying on the ground naked, cut open and dead. Both of them screamed, and screamed, and screamed as they found their murdered parent. Seconds later and multiple pops could be heard as Aurors arrived too late on the scene.

"Put your wands on the floor and your hands where I can see them" said the one who was clearly in charge.

"We're innocent" said Daphne who could see what the Aurors could see – a severely damaged house, a murder woman and two people with wands out.

"I will not repeat myself again. Put your wands down and hands where I can see them" the Aurors had their wands trained on the sisters.

"We haven't done anything though" said Astoria. "We just came to see our mother and found the house like this. Why didn't you get he…" she was cut off as the Aurors stunned and bound her and Daphne in thick mummy like ropes.

"Take these Death Eater scum to the Ministry. They'll face a death squad for sure" said the Auror in charge. Two other Aurors nodded and apperated with the sisters in tow. A complete scan of the affected area found that the only magical traces had been from the wands of the three Grenngrasses and an unknown wand. This was assumed to be someone who was visiting, caught up by the attack by Daphne and Astoria and had apperated out whilst being hit by a cutting curse. The girls now faced two separate murder charges.

#

The Death Eater was wounded badly but he would heal well enough, but the reports in the newspaper that evening made him feel all the more better. The blood traitors had been blamed for the death of their own mother and of him, and the report said they would be tried very soon. All this was great news for him and his fellow Death Eaters who had sworn vengeance for their defeat at Harry's hands. If they couldn't kill him, then they would take his friends one by one. A plot had already been started to take the newest addition to that group of people – Ariana.

#

Harry had been assured by Marchbanks that the Greengrass sisters would get a fair trial, but he had told her that both of them were innocent of their crimes. They had argued for some time as Marchbanks believed that they had committed the crimes simply because both of them belonged to Slytherin House. Harry had been stunned into silence as Hermione had calmly told Marchbanks she had one week to get the Ministry sorted out or they would find someone capable of doing it in her place.

"You can't simply remove a Minister from power" Marchbanks said.

"Its how we did the last person" Harry referred to Dumbledore who was in Azkaban for the rest of his life and then a few years after for good measure.

# # # # #

An extremely loud popping noise signalled the arrival of someone in a hurry, and Dean appeared in the middle of the living room with the look of somebody with bad news. He looked around for one person in particular before imparting his news.

"Harry, I've just been talking to Sharpe. The trials just finished for both Daphne and Astoria" and Harry's expression went from pleasant to downright stony.

"They've finished?" he asked in the silence that filled the room. "When did they begin?" he asked.

"I don't know said Dean, "But Sharpe told me that neither him or Jackson had been allowed to attend in any sort of way. From what they gathered and then told to me, Marchbanks tried them herself - the sentence is death" and Harry jumped up and made a firecall to Marchbanks office. As they waited for her to answer, Dean, Seamus, Hannah, Susan and Ginny offered to floo to the Ministry and retrieve the girls for him.

"Can I help you?" answered Marchbanks after what seemed like an age.

"You told me they'd get a fair trial. What kind of a trial could they have possibly had?" Harry demanded hotly.

"I assure you I heard them out. I weighed their statements against those of the Aurors and I took into consideration their records and commendations. It was a difficult decision, Harry, but I dare say it was a fair one" Marchbanks said simply.

"They have the right to have their case heard by a jury" Harry was no lawyer, but he knew what a prisoner was entitled to.

"I am the Minister for Magic during a time of war. Regulations give me broad authority in this matter" Marchbanks's answer was not acceptable to Harry at all. He looked away from the flames and gave a nod to the waiting teens.

"Off you go" he said to them, then turned back to Marchbanks. "You can quote me whatever regulation you'd like. I'm not going to let you execute my friends" Harry said to the Minister.

# # # # #

"I highly suggest you reconsider that statement, Mr Potter" Marchbanks said from her office.

"Minister? We have five people incoming with no departure point on the floo" an office flunky said to Marchbanks. She looked at the monitor herself which simply showed five stick figures on route to the Ministry with a label saying '_Unknown_' where it would normally say from where they had set off.

"Mr Potter, why are you sending people here?" she asked Harry whose head was floating in the flames of her office fire.

"Please arrange for Daphne and Astoria to be handed over to my people as soon as they arrive" Harry said firmly.

"I don't take orders from you!" Marchbanks said icily.

"Call it whatever you like. I'm getting my men"

"You are making such a mistake"

#

The fireplaces burned green for a while and then discharged battle ready teens. Aurors had been sent to intercept them after they had arrived, but when they saw the looks they were getting, they stood down and allowed them to pass. Harry had told them where exactly they could find the Greengrass siblings, and so the group made their way to the Maximum Security cells and found the pair in separate cells with dirty and battered clothes. Knowing that Harry would be most displeased with the abuse of two people who had no parents to look after them, they took long hard looks and then tidied the sisters up before heading back to the Atrium and headed back to Allcroft House.

"How did it go?" Harry asked.

"Not a thing" said a disappointed Ginny. "They simply let us past them after we stared them down" and Harry shrugged and then looked to the two new arrivals. With the additions of Ginny, Ariana and now the pair of Slytherins, the house was now full up. He wondered if Griphook could put him in touch with some magical builders in order to either add another floor to the place and conceal it from the muggles, or to have an extension built at the back. Failing that, he could always put them up in the pool house for them time being. As it was, he remembered that Hermione's old room was free which meant his wife lost its use. The sisters thanked Harry several times for his kindness to them in allowing them into his home. They couldn't understand the trust he seemingly gave them both. Harry had replied simply by saying that as they had stayed behind to fight Voldemort, then they could call themselves his friends. The two girls went upstairs to be shown to their temporary accommodations where they took a potion each and got some much needed sleep.

"So what are you going to do now?" asked Hermione later that night.

"About Marchbanks?" Harry enquired and Hermione nodded. "Well I don't realy kow to be honest. I appointed her to the job because of the fact she was the only Witch or Wizard I knew whom I thought I could trust. I did think about old Ollivander, but he wouldn't have wanted to stop selling wands. Stan and Ernie from the Knight Bus were right off for a start. Anyone else was caught up in the rebuilding of Hogwarts and the care of the injured. Perhaps I should simply ask for her resignation?" Harry chuckled at the last bit.

"Well between the Potter, Black, Bones, Abbot, Longbottom, Lovegood and Dumbledore seats, you have enough numbers on the Wizengamot to call for a vote of no confidence in Marchbanks. I guess that Daphne would use the Greengrass votes in your favour as well. In fact I'm sure those girls would do anything for you at the moment" Hermione told him as she started to massage his acheing muscles.

"I'll bear that in mind" Harry said, and Hermione playfully hit him on the shoulder as she worked on his neck. "It might come to having to call a vote you know. Perhaps the job simply got too much for Marchbanks to do. I'll admit she has done the best she could, but perhaps things are not the same as what they could have been. How about we go and see her tomorrow and give her a way out of this mess?" and Hermione paused before asking if that meant Harry would become the new Minister.

"You do whatever you wanted then" she added.

"I already do what I want, love" Harry said in a low voice. "But I bet that the Minister's desk would make a good thing to bend you over. Or perhaps we should get one of those restraining chairs from the courtrooms?" and to her surprise, Hermione found herself getting wet from being aroused by the thought of being screwed in an office when people could walk in, and also from the idea that she could be in one of the restraining chairs from the courtrooms at the Ministry.

#

"Spill it" Ginny demanded.

"Spill what?" asked Ariana. Even after living with the group for some time, she still didn't get some of the more modern sayings.

"I saw you looking at Harry" Ginny replied.

"That means nothing" Ariana said back. "Everybody who sees him is looking at him" and Ginny shook her head.

"You look at Harry the same way as Hermione does" and the other girl went bright red.

"You think I have some kind of crush?" she asked.

"I know it" said Ginny.

"Now I'm afraid you are quite, quite wrong" said Ariana. She was now as red as a beetroot in the face.

"You mean you don't like Harry?" Ginny asked her sweetly.

"Well of course I do" Ariana wasn't exactly sure how Ginny knew things about her. Perhaps she was some kind of Seer. "I just like to spend my time with him" she added.

"That's all?" asked Ginny.

"Of course" Ariana tried to get the blush that was clearly on her face under control.

"I don't believe you" Ginny said, and Ariana decided to surrender and told the truth.

"Oh alright then, I do like Harry very much indeed. I wish he could be my husband so we could live for a long time together and have a number of children. But I know that Harry has married Hermione so I'll miss out on that" Ariana looked upset at never marrying Harry. Ginny simply hugged her and decided to speak to Harry and Hermione later on that evening – assuming Hermione was finished and satisfied.

# # # # #

"I thought I could do the job" Harry and Hermione listened to Marchbanks in her office. "I think my problem was that I ran the Ministry by the book" and there was a pause before Hermione spoke.

"Perhaps we can offer you a way out that would satisfy you, and a way that would allow you full benefits as a retiring Minister" and Marchbanks peered at the young woman before asking what she meant. "What you do is say that you have become too ill to be the Minister anymore, and that you have been forced to retire before anything becomes any more serious" Hermione said.

"You can take that choice or you can take option two" Harry said from his seat.

"And what is that?" asked Marchbanks.

"I'd use all of my seats and call for a vote of no confidence" Harry said coldly.

"You only have two seats" Marchbanks said.

"I have more then that" Harry replied. "I have the seats for the Potter, Black, Lovegood, Longbottom and Dumbledore families. In addition to that, I happen to know that the head of the Bones family is also inclined to vote in my favour. I suggest, Minister, that you take the first option. If you don't, then you'll be out of this office before dinner" and with that both Harry and Hermione got up and walked towards the doors.

"Aurors? Seize them both for attempting to cause a civil war" Marchbanks called to the Aurors that had been guarding the door to her office. They came in and faced Harry and Hermione with their wands drawn and facing. There was a standoff for several seconds before Harry looked the squad leader in the eyes with the look of a killer.

"Stand down or I will destroy you" was all that Harry said to him. The Aurors looked between their leader and an infuriated Marchbanks. It was clear to all that the pressures of the job had got too much for her as she was demanding their immediate arrest. Then she snapped and drew her own wand and fired a nasty curse at Harry. Hermione and the Aurors saw it but couldn't react in time. It hit Harry in the back and sent him into the thick wall of the office. Hermione spun round and tripped Marchbanks arse over tit – anything more powerful and Hermione Potter would have been facing murder charges.

"Outside all of you – you're sworn to silence" the lead Auror of the squad told his team. They nodded and went back outside and remained there. Hermione was crouched by the crumpled figure of Harry who was groaning in pain.

"Are you alright?" asked Hermione gently. Harry's only reply was to start shaking violently, and the Auror leader called for a Healer to be summoned. "Please stay with me" she whispered to the one person she loved with all her heart. Marchbanks was attempting to get out by use of a side door into the room for aperation, but she found an Auror's wand pointing at her throat.

"All my life" hissed the Auror, "All I ever wanted to be was him" and he nodded in Harry's general direction. "I wanted to do something for the good of everyone. You had us execute people because they bore the Dark Mark. We nearly killed people who the saviour of the entire world thinks of as friends" Aurors Sharpe and Jackson came rushing in and cut off anything else the Auror might be saying. The Auror filled them in with everything that had happened, and then watched as Jackson and Sharpe relieved Marchbanks of her position and had her placed under house arrest.

#

"So what exactly is going to happen?" asked Hermione. She was filled with worry as she saw Harry lying in bed. The curse had caused him to go into a deep sleep as if he was in a coma. The Healers had assured her that this wasn't the case and that he was simply sleeping.

"Well we countered the Organ Removal Curse, and healed him" said one Healer. "All that happens now is that we simply wait for him to wake up" and Hermione thanked the Healer before they went outside the room. Hermione waited for hours on end until Harry awoke. He was checked over by the Healers and told he could go home so long as he had rest for the rest of the night. Hermione was more then happy to see he was rested. After seeing what Harry had had to go through during the battle with Voldemort and his forces, all she wanted to do was to settle down and have children with Harry. Nothing was going to interfere with that plan… well almost nothing.

#

"I can't believe that Marchbanks flipped like that. She seemed so nice during our exams in 5th year" said Hannah.

"It might have been the strain from doing the job. She's done it for over a year. I doubt even Hermione could run it without getting stressed like she did" said Susan.

"Let us just hope that whomever they choose in her place is better then her" added Lavender, and the others agreed.

"Well now we can settle down, finish our educations and get good jobs" said Hermione.

"And have lots of children?" suggested Seamus with a grin.

"We can't" Hermione told him.

"What do you mean you can't?" asked the sandy haired Irishman. "You get Harry nice and…" he was cut off by Harry shaking his head.

"When she says we can't have kids, Mione is telling the truth – she can't have children" and Hermione broke into sobs and threw herself into Harry's open arms. There was a silence as the statement sunk into almost everyone there.

"But what about the eggs that got stored?" Padma asked.

"During the downfall, some of Voldemort's forces got into St Mungos and destroyed the room. At least that's the official story" said Harry. Everyone could understand that he felt Dumbledore or one or more of the Order members had done the job.

"Couldn't you take some more eggs?" asked Parvati.

"When Hermione… came back, it was without her ovaries. There is no way that she can ever have children" Harry said, and patted the crying Hermione on the back and started rubbing her as well in order t calm her down. Thoughts sprang through each of the others' minds, and the living room at Allcroft House was broken only by the sound of Hermione crying.

"I'll have your children" said Ariana suddenly. "It's the least that I could do after saving me from the life I spent in that room" and that brought a small smile from Harry.

"Thanks" he said. "How about we use that as the back up plan?" he asked. "I don't think that having sex with fifteen year old is going to do my record any good" Harry added with a chuckle.

"Bugger" muttered Ariana. As Hermione had stopped crying aloud, but was instead still crying silently, Harry led her upstairs for some privacy. The rest of them watched them and reflected on how much of a clusterfuck life had been to the Potters.

**A/N:**

**Well bit of a twist at the end for you to think about. I thought that I couldn't be all that nice to my Harry and Hermione yet, so I've added a bit of sadness to the end. As a result, there is now a poll on my homepage – all are welcome to vote. One of the selections is there simply to see who has a bizarre mindset. Vote Will Be Closed Next Thursday.**

**I did debate about Marchbanks flipping or not, but ended up having her attack Harry so there!**

**The next updates from me should end a couple of outstanding fics.**

**Pixel**


	29. MOLOTGAATSFTPH

**Memories Of Loved Ones, The Great Adventure, The Search For The Perfect Hamburger Condiment And Getting Ready For Future Life**

Susan was depressed more and more as the end of term came about, and it took an entire week before **H**arry came up with the answer. The following week was the first anniversary of Miriam's death. Susan had gone every weekend to visit her grave in the Potter family yard, but this was something different completely. The others tried to talk to her and keep her happy – Hannah mainly – but nothing seemed to do the trick. She would still laugh and smile, but it **a**ll seemed a little too faked to be believed.

"I'm thinking we get her royally **p**issed" Hannah said one evening.

"I agree" said Padma. "Susie's been bottling it inside for all this time now" and Harry looked over at the Ravenclaw.

"Want me to sort out the transport?" he asked. "We can go anywhere we want to to get drunk" and they started to plan the tri**p**. As _Titanic_ was still in drydock having the dints that the Americans and South Koreans kindly gave her knocked out, there was no chance to take her out for a few hours cruising. In the end, they would visit the cities of York and Hull by train. The only way to travel though of course was to use some of the engines from the North Western Railwa**y**. After several telephone calls, it was decided that they would use Henry and Gordon to travel to the locations. Although Hull had a turntable at Botanic Gardens depot, it hadn't been used for several years so the plan was simple. The Fat Controller was planning on sending an engine to York to celebrate an occasion at the National Railway Museum. The engine he would send there would do its duties and then run light engine to Hull and remain there for the special arriving. When it was time for them to come back, the waiting engine would pull them home with the first engine being DIT. It took a lot of time to deal with, but a combination of the Muggle and Wizarding Governments plus the Fat Controller made it possible to take place.

#

The sun shone brilliantly as Harry entered the floo and appeared in the Ministry of Magic in London. Whilst he could have made multiple apparition hops, doing 2485.6 miles would have taxed even Harry. Under his arm in a small box was a special candle that would mean a lot to Susan, and he lined up to wait his turn in the arrivals area of the International Floo.

"Name?" asked the bored official. Harry was in a playful mood which was bad for the official.

"Captain Sheriden" he answered.

"Departure location?"

"**B**abylon 5"

"Purpose of visit?"

"As much sex as possible"

"Any luggage?"

"Just this box"

"What is in it?"

"A small nuclear device which I will use to destroy the Ministry, London and every living thing for fifty miles around"

"Very well… cleared to enter" and with that Harry apperated on the spot. The main reason for his little trip was sitting in an armchair inside the Hufflepuff common room. Susan looked up at him w**i**th a puzzled look on her face. It lasted until Harry opened the box and presented her with a Yahrzeit candle to light in Miriam's memory. Susan looked at it and then gazed up at Harry.

"I don't know much about Jewish tradition, but isn't it supposed to be the person's spouse that lights it" she asked.

"Under normal circumstances it is" Harry said. "But you were the closest thing she had to a… partner. I'm sure nobody would mind under the circumstances" he added quietly. Susan looked back at the candle which sat in the box, and allowed the tears to flow down her cheeks.

"Thank you" she whispered, and got up and went to her dorm. Hannah waited for a moment before going up to check on her. Harry watched her head up before leaving the Hufflepuff common room – where he was always welcome – and went back to Gryffindor. It seemed a lot quieter with no Neville to talk to. Harry had attempted to use one of the married quarters for himself and Hermione, but Flitwick had deneyed them the use of them.

"_I am sorry, Mr Potter" said the Headmaster. "There is no way to give yourselves your own rooms. They are for staff use only" and Harry groaned._

"_Are you sure?" asked Hermione._

"_Quite certain, Mrs Potter. This isn't a fanfiction you know where people can move from their houses into a private suite. They might just 'shag like bunnies' I believe is the correct term" Flitwick was being fair, and that was all they could have asked for._

When Harry got back to the tower he saw that the elves had finished lining the walls and windows with black trim – black trim with a red band running along the middle. The black was a traditional mou**r**ning colour whilst the red was as red as a ruby. That signified the blood that had been spilled during the many battles…

"Oh you're back" Hermione looked up from her charms work.

"Just come from the Puff dorms" Harry replied as he sank into a large fluffy chair. "I gave Susan the candle. She'll be lighting it the day after tomorrow" he added.

"I thought you would not make it in time" said Hermione as she finished her work. "If you hurry up, we'll still make our original time frame" and Harry nodded and got up to grab a quick shower and change into clean clothes before the group headed off to Godric's Hollow.

When they arrived there it was very quiet, and they moved round to the burial plots to visit the graves of Luna, Neville and Miriam. It was a very solem affair with the sadness of the whole battle forcing them to remember what had happened. As they stood before the headstones with their heads bowed, Harry in particular remembered the Death Eaters he had killed towards the end of the brief but bloody war. The deaths of those who had chosen to remain and fight Voldemort and his forces hung like a heavy cloak around Harry. He knew that they had made their own choice, but he sometimes couldn't shake off the thoughts every so often. As they stood and looked at the headstones, Susan moved forward towards Miriam's grave and put the candle on the ground under the headstone. Muttering a few words in Hebrew, the red haired girl lit the wick with a silent spell from the tip of her wand. They split up into ones or twos for them to remember more privately, and Hermione went to remember her parents. She was more then aware that they were in heaven, but she still missed them all the same. Harry moved over to the two headstones he was more interested in – the final resting place of James and Lily Potter. When he left **t**he graves, he left behind flowers and a promise to both of his parents that he would make sure that all of his friends would be taken are of. He had also talked about his life with Hermione as well. Harry wasn't sure exactly about the afterlife, but he was certain that the wind picked up and gusted for a few seconds – almost as if someone was listening to him.

#

After they had all arrived at Allcroft House, they all boarded the waiting Bertie who took them to the waiting train. Gordon shone in all his finery, his blue paint sparkled and his brass gleamed everywhere. The train consisted of just two coaches which would allow a fast run as Gordon didn't have to pull much weight. Harry and Hermione spoke to the engine crew before departure and was handed a copy of the whole timetabled event.

OUTWARD TRIP

**Train Name:** _The Flying Beer Glass_

**Locomotive:** _Gordon_

**Departure Point:**_ Knapford_

**Destination: **_Hull_

**Calling Points: **_York_

RETURN LEG

**Train Name:** _The Flying Beer Glass_

**Locomotive:** _Henry_ (_Gordon DIT_)

**Departure**** Point:**_ Hull_

**Destination: **_Knapford_

**Calling Points: **_NONE_

Harry duplicated a few copies and **h**anded them out to the group after he boarded the train. With a whistle from the guard, the train set off towards York and the first stop of the special train. Despite the long trip, Gordon was enjoying it because it allowed him to really stretch his wheels for a change.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry" he said to the coaches as they went along. As they rushed from the countryside, adults and children of all ages came out to see one of the most famous engines in the world. Every time they waved and cheered at him and his crew, Gordon would always whistle back and blow a little steam out to make the children happy. They reached the city of York where the party got off and boarded a waiting limo. Whilst they went round York's pubs, Gor**d**on was filled with coal and water by people from the National Railway Museum. As the engine simmered away in the warm afternoon, he was photographed at many angles by hundreds of people. Police from every station in the city had to be called to control the crowds of delighted people.

#

"Peeeeeeeeeeep Pip Pip Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeep" Gordon steamed out of York's Platform 3, and began the short trip to Hull. Harry and the slightly tipsy people with him took Anti-Hangover Potions as they watched the countryside passing in the late afternoon. As they watched from the t**a**bles they sat at, the staff in the Restaurant coach began to prepare for the dinners that would be served later on that night. They passed through the stations of Ulleskelf, Church Fenton, Sherburn-in-Elmet, South Milford, Selby, Wressle, Howden, Eastrington, Gilberdyke, Broomfleet, Brough, Ferriby and Hessle before passing Botanic Gardens depot where they saw Henry on shed watching them as they passed over a small junction and entered Hull's Platform 4 with Gordon whistling as he had never before. Word had got around that an engine from the North Western Railway had arrived at Hull for no apparent reason. Then the word had come of another engine from that railway which was pulling two coaches in and out of York station. After news had got round that the special was making its way to Hull, spotters from all over the area – and some from outside – got into cars and raced to Hull in order to record the important event. The group got off and went into another car as they began a trip of Hull's bars. Harr**y** and Hermione had been to a few the summer Harry had spent at the Grangers.

# # # # #

Henry came off shed to pull the coaches free so Gordon could reverse the half mile to Botanic Gardens and use the turntable so that when he got back to the station he was facing the right way. As he did so, his coal bunker was refilled again and him and Henry backed down together back into Platform 4 where they awaited the arrival of the party. A repeat of York took place and what seemed to Gordon as more people arrived and photographed and videoed the now double headed special. The plan was for Gordon to do some of the work before Henry took over and pulled the entire train the rest of the way to Knapford. As it was, both engines and their crews smiled and had more pictures taken.

#

**T**hey found one last pub called 'The Punch' which was set between an art gallery and a shopping centre. They walked in to discover it was almost like a trip back in time. The place was filled with highly polished wood and even had a wooden bar counter. A little kitchen was in the back and a portly man come out and se**r**ved food to the customers from time to time.

"I vote we have a small dinner here, then board the train for home" Harry said, voice tinged with wondro**u**s delight at discovering the rich fittings inside the pub. The oth**e**rs nodded and sat down at two tables with leather bench seating or normal chairs while Harry ordered the drinks.

"Can I help you?" asked the barmaid

.

"I hope so" Harry said, "I'd like seven pints of Carling and a Guinness" and the barmaid nodded and pulled the pints from traditional hand pumps. Harry paid for the drinks and took them two at a time to the snug. "Could I have a menu?" Harry asked, and the barmaid nodded and handed him two of them.

"Leila!" said the voice of the portly man in the kitchens, "Two roasts for table 5" and the barmaid, the same one that had served Harry, looked to the other barmaid.

"Get that for me would you, Jess?" she asked.

"**F**or heavens sake… Sure, Bolton" Jess replied, and she took the meals to the correct tables before returning to behind the bar.

"We've only been here five minutes" Seamus said, drinking from his Guinness, "But I feel like I could always come here" and Parvati nodded.

"Reminds me a bit of the 'Leaky Cauldron' and stuff" she said.

"It is brighter though" Hannah put in.

"True" Susan said. They poured over the menu and decided to try out the steak pie and chips with gravy, carrots, peas and fresh spring cabbage. The meal was 'exquisite' as Hermione put it, and it was a sentiment shared by all. After they had finished, and the plates cleared, Harry ordered another set of drinks. They finished off with p**r**omises to come back when they could and they got into the waiting car and travelled the short distance to the station.

# # # # #

Their departure from Hull had everyone cheering as they went past everyone. They took the same route out again as far as Selby before taking the route back to Knapford via Doncaster, Sheffield, Derby, Birmingham Snow Hill, Crewe (Gordon and Henry blew their whistles here in respect), Preston, and then Barrow In Furness before passing over the bridge to the Island of Sodor and arr**i**ving on the North Western Railway. They had a quick stop at Vicarstown for a top up of water and coal before both Henry and Gordon pulled the train via Crovan's Gate, Maron, Wellsworth, before pulling triumphantly into Knapford where both engines refused to work another inch due to their tir**e**dness. Whilst both of them had enjoyed the long runs, they had become quite worn out almost as soon as they had stopped, both engines fell asleep and so they had to be towed to the sheds by Thomas and Oliver. Both crews were happy as they had arrived well over their normal time limit and so could collect a good amount of overtime pay. As they went home i**n** a taxi to Allcroft House where they would spend the night, Harry and Hermione already planned the start of their next great adventure – the start for the perfect hamburger. But as everyone fell asleep, they all dreamed of the great day that had happene**d** and how they had had a good time and made new friend**s**.

#

With one more week to go until their educations were over, Harry and Hermione were deep into planning a massive barbecue for the last day, and high level talks had been held with the house elves about the burgers. Both teens had made their own a few times and had found a great spice or herb to go inside the meat. Sadly though they had run out and had no idea where to get more. The group had searched every book in the potions department and in the library to no avail. It was as if the spice had never existed, so they asked the elves about the herbs, and they had brought samples of every kind of herb and spice known to man. Nothing had worked, so they pair had had to face the prospect of not getting more of the herb or spice that they had liked so much. Hermione was so desperate that she was tempted to use a Time Turner and find out the name of the thing, but Harry said that they should only use it for good… other words plan B!

The last few days became one of happiness at the prospect of ending their school careers, but also sad at not being able to see Hogwarts everyday. Flitwick had said that they could visit whenever they had wanted, but it wasn't the same really. Of course they would get used to not being in Hogwarts – not counting the time spent in America at Salem – so Harry assumed it was because he had always thought of Hogwarts as his real home. Well until Hermione came into his life as his girlfriend and wife later on that is. The girl in question was going over some very old tomes she had been sent by the Ministry after she had asked the assistance in finding the spice or herb. Harry smiled as he thought of every person looking for cookbooks that had been kept by past administrations for one reason or another.

"Any luck?" he asked as he slipped into the seat next to her.

"Well I know it isn't anything from these" Hermione pointed to a pile of books that had to have been rejected by the girl. Harry picked up a cook book and started reading through it. He understood well the reason Hermione liked to read books. It was the sound of the paper pages being turned over, although in this case it was parchment which made a nice, crisp crinkling sound like very old paper would have done. They had almost decided to stop looking and head for dinner when Harry saw one book that had a number of stains on the cover which could only have been picked up by many years in a kitchen and used well by a cook. With his curiosity aroused, he picked it up and started to read through it. The small note book contained recipes for all sorts of foods and sauces. He was about to pt it with all the other rejected books when he saw a picture that seemed familiar. When Hermione and himself looked at it closer, it was the same sort of tin that the mystery substance had been in – they had found it. The pair really did float down the corridors to the kitchens and asked the elves to obtain the ingredients needed for _Mrs Bailey's Mixture_. Elves went all over the country to get the ingredients required and the entire group had a slightly rushed dinner before heading to the kitchens to beginning the process of making up batches of the sauce. It was decided to make it as a sauce because it was too potent for most people to have in powdered form. Because the job would take all night, and they were all tired, Harry conjured up a couple of beds so that some of them could get some sleep while the rest made the sauce. Then just as it turned four in the morning, Harry popped away to London and placed an advertisement in every paper he could think of.

_COMING SOON_

_HARRY'S HAMBURGERS_

_OPENING IN DIAGON ALLEY THIS SUMMER_

He had arranged it all with Hermione, the Patil twins and Dean. Harry would own the shop, the twins would do all the cooking whilst Dean would run the shop. Hermione would come in every week or so to look at the books and check the finances. When they had asked Harry why he simply wanted to own the shop, he replied that he wanted to own his own bus and coach company. He had Griphook looking for somewhere to put all the Routemasters, Leyland Olympians, Leyland Tigers, Leyland Atlanteans (the ones with the Northern Counties bodywork), Leyland Titan, Leyland National, MCW Metrobuses, Optare Spectra, Optare Excels, Bristol VR and VRT's that he had picked up from sales after most of them had been withdrawn from service – except the Optares which had been delivered to Westbourne Park Garage in London from the factory and stored there by order of the Queen herself. The rest of the buses had arrived in convoys of fours and fives over the last few months. Harry now had a bigger fleet then some other operators in the country. Hermione asked him a number of times why he wanted to operate his own bus fleet, and he had replied with the simple fact that he wanted to do something that was on his own back and not helped by the fact he was the boy who lived. His wife could understand that, and she showed how much she loved him by taking him straight to bed.

Over their remaining time at Hogwarts, the pair had visited the magical hospital at St Mungos many times hoping to find a way of having a child. The last scan they had showed that not only had Hermione got her ovaries missing, but her womb was also absent which meant that not even the tricky method of IVF would work with her. Flitwick had arranged for them to have a few days off as they came to terms with the news that it was impossible to have children together. It seemed as if Harry would have to use the offer that Ariana had made to him some months back. It wasn't that the pair were ungrateful, but the thought of having to have sex with an underage child was not one that made Harry happy. When Ariana had pointed out that she was actually 114 years old, Harry had frowned and said that that wasn't the point. The girl – amongst others who knew the situation – had offered to carry the child all the way so that the Potters could do a blood adoption right after birth. Hermione had flat out refused because it meant taking something special away from whoever had carried the child.

The day of the giant barbecue came around, and everybody had a good time eating and drinking Butterbeer until the hot summer night turned to a cooler darkness in the sky. The muggleborn, half bloods and those purebloods that lived their lives around them, found that burgers proved a popular hit with those members of the magical world whom had never had one before. It was agreed that the new burger dining place in Diagon Alley would be a great hit when it opened. Purebloods and their quirks…

The final morning at Hogwarts came all too sudden, and Harry woke in the arms of Hermione after a marathon seven hour non stop sex session. All he had to do was send the video to Guinness and that record would be theirs. He got out of Hermione grasp, pulled on his dressing gown and then went to look out the window at the grounds. It was a very cold morning for the summer, and he could see the mist drifting over the lake and grounds. The grass shone with the dew like beads on a green mat. One more look around and then he turned to have a shower and get dressed before heading down to the broom shed and picking up his Firebolt for one last run around the grounds as a student. As a lot of people couldn't sleep they saw the lonely figure and defied the rules because they didn't give a damn. They all dressed quickly – resulting in a lot of mismatched clothing – ran down to the broom shed grabbed their brooms and joined Harry in one more flight around the grounds. When Ginny and Ariana saw this, they woke the first year Gryffindors and liberated the school brooms so they could also take to the air. When Flitch attempted to stop them, Madam Pomfrey cracked him one in the jaw, stunned him and altered his clothes to a pink ballerina outfit. They landed for their final breakfast together, but Harry had other ideas. Before anyone could say a word, he zoomed through the doors, into the great hall, raced to the Gryffindor table, went right up to the ceiling, and turned the broom down so he plummeted to the ground. When he almost hit the floor he flipped the broom the other way round again, engaged full power, brought his Firebolt to a halt, looked over at an open mouthed Hermione and said "Pass the salt please".

**A/N:**

**This is the last but one chapter for this fic. I suggest that you all get ready for the final tearjerker. I finished this four days ago, but kept it on hold so I could release it on a very special day.**

**For those who are wondering, certain letters are supposed to be in bold. Take these letters in order of appearance and then put them into a sentence. I am sure my most loyal and faithful reviewers will get the joke!**

**This was originally going to be a chapter where we found out who was going to carry Harry and Hermione's child. But knowing what the upcoming date was, and using author's prerogative, I decided to simply scrap that idea and do something of a self indulgence – a drinking tour of two cities by train. By odd coincidence, the pub they visited in Hull also appeared in "The Great Hogwarts Road Trip" – wonder how that could have happened… But to be as accurate as possible, the route taken to Hull from York and then from Hull to Knapford back over the main UK network is completely possible (assuming you understand Thomas the tank engine and friends to really exist). Platform numbers and the depot are completely correct – down to the now disused turntable at Botanic Gardens Depot.**

**QUESTION: Anyone think I'm sometimes to accurate with details?**

**The buses listed as those that Harry owns are yet another example of my love, and I simply couldn't resist adding them as well. The only odd one out would have been the Optare Excel which would have been a new build in 1995 and so fairly new in 1998. Also, Westbourne Park bus garage does indeed exist. I **_**do**_** like to be accurate as possible as you are aware.**

**If anyone can guess from which book by Alexander McCall Smith the mixture is from, then award yourself a bonus point! Whoever gets it will also be listed on my awards section on the homepage. I know it is a kids book, but I used to love reading it as a child which shows my age somewhat.**

**Well I hope you like this chapter plus the others posted to celebrate the epic date!**

**Reviews and PMs in the normal manner,**

**Regards**

**Pixel And Stephanie Forever**

**(One user – despite what people think) **


	30. All Good Things, Must Come To An End

**All Good Things, Must Come To An End – Part 1**

It had been years since the last one had died, and now only one person remained of that final battle against the most evil of evil.

#

_**Two Hundred Years Earlier**_

_**Sometime In The Afternoon… Could Be Lunch**_

Harry and Hermione actually spent most of the summer trying for a baby the normal method. Of course, this plan failed and Hermione was devastated by the fact that she would never carry Harry's child. None of the Healers at St Mungos had been able to come up with a solution, so the potters had a clear choice in the matter – Adopt or Plan B. The second plan was always going to be the worse option of the two because of what had to be done. Ariana had repeated her offer to allow Harry to have sex with her so that she could carry the child to term. When the boy or girl was born, the Potters could do a Blood Adoption Ritual on them. Both Harry and Hermione had decided not to do that, and this was why Harry and Ariana went to the master bedroom of Grimmauld Place and spent a few hours there. Hermione remained downstairs because of her opinion that she might cause issues.

# # # # #

The Ministry was just about getting back to normal with a new Minister in charge. He cracked down with the trials for those that still awaiting one. The last one though was the trial of Remus J Lupin, and it was sure to be almost as big a trial as Dumbledore's had been. Even though Hermione had returned to life, the murder charge still stood along with all of the various things he had done in support of Dumbledore. The Minister was right about one thing – it _did_ turn out to be an interesting trial.

# # # # #

"BRING IN THE ACCUSED!" called the Court Scribe. A small door opened and Lupin was dragged in wearing magical restraining cuffs. He was pulled to the lone seat by Aurors and pushed into it. At that same moment, heavy clamps spring around him and bound his arms and legs tightly so he could not escape. "HEAR YE, HEAR YE HEAR YE! THE TRIAL OF REMUS JONATHON LUPIN WILL NOW BEGIN" the Scribe bellowed, and then the witch sat down and awaited the start of her proper duties.

"I call this trial to order" said the presiding Judge in a deep tone. Judge Joseph Dredd was not one to be messed with. He looked down at Lupin who wore the orange coloured prison robes of Azkaban. "I understand you intend to represent yourself" he said more as a matter of fact then a statement. Lupin nodded before glancing over at where Harry was watching over the events. "Remus J Lupin, you are hereby charge with the following crimes Murder, Attempted Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Aiding and Abetting, Theft, Conspiracy to Commit Fraud, Deception with Intent, Attacking the Lord Gryffindor, Conspiracy to Attack the Lord Gryffindor, Attacking the Lady Gryffindor – to – be, Conspiracy to Attack the Lady Gryffindor – to – be, Conspiracy to Attack the Head of a Most Ancient and Noble House, Bribery, Corruption, Cowardice in the Face of the Enemy, Conspiracy to use Unforgivables, Attempted Hostage taking, Conspiracy to take a Hostage, Littering, Falsifying official documentation, Attempting to break up a family, Perverting the Course of Justice, Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice and Deception. How do you plead?" Dredd asked Lupin.

"Not guilty" replied the man.

"I knew you would say that" Dredd replied before glancing at the files he had in front of him. "We will deal with the relatively minor offences first" and a wizard in plain robes started the prosecution. In accordance with Harry's wishes, Lupin was offered and took chances to cross examine anyone he so wished. The case went on for several hours before the final charge of murder was read out. Lupin asked, and received, permission to question the person currently on the witness stand.

"Now you dealt with the putting together of all the reports?" Lupin asked a nervous young man.

"Ye…Yes" he stammered.

"Good…good. Now you would have had to read them as you worked" Lupin said.

"That's right" replied the man.

"Now tell me this, did you ever see any indication that I fired the weapon that eventually killed Miss Granger?" Lupin asked.

"There was your magical trace found" the trainee Auror said. He thought it was one hell of an assignment to undertake.

"Ah, but that only proved I was at the place where the murder was committed" Lupin pointed out.

"Yes" the Auror admitted.

"So there is no proof that I was actually there?" asked Lupin. "Apart from the magical signature" he added.

"Evidence was found that proves you fired the weapon" said the young man. Lupin paled visibly, and then seemed to have lost his mind for a while.

"May I enter into the court Exhibit LH 30?" asked the prosecution wizard.

"Proceed" said Dredd. The courtroom watched as a huge screen was conjured up which began to play memories recorded from a trip into Lupin's memories.

#

_Memory-Lupin looked through the sights of the sniper rifle, and listened in to the wedding service through the listening charm he had placed on the station the day before. He was just waiting for the right time to do his deadly act._

The screen shimmered briefly as it changed to a point a little later on.

_Memory-Lupin's finger tightened over the trigger. All it needed now was for a slight squeeze and that would be the end of any happiness in Harry's life for a long long time. _Of course everyone knew that the happiness had returned to Harry's life, but this was the actual events of that terrible day. No one apart from the investigating Aurors had viewed it, and three of them had gone for counselling the same day. As the court listened, they could hear the sounds of the wedding service being carried out.

'_Ah…It has been a while' said _a voice Harry knew to be the Thin Clergyman_ 'Do you, Harry James Potter take Hermione Jane Granger to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love, honour and cherish? For richer and for poorer? And forsaking all others, keep yourself only for her so long as you both shall live?_' and Harry's voice could be heard in reply.

_"I do" _he spoke_._

_"And do you, Hermione Jane Granger, take this man, Harry James Potter to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love, honour and cherish? For richer and for poorer? And forsaking all others, keep yourself only for her so long as you both shall live?" _the clergyman asked.

'_I do' _said Hermione_. There was a slight pause for the rings to be exchanged as Memory-Harry _remembered all too well_._

_"By the power in vested in me by God, I now pronounce you man and wife_" said the Thin Clergyman. At that exact moment, Memory-Lupin pressed the trigger.

_**BANG**_

'_I… I've been shot' _Hermione's voice said faintly in the memory. Memory-Harry could be heard shouting as Memory-Lupin listened to what had happened_._

'_HEALER! I NEED A FUCKING HEALER HERE NOW! GET ME A GOD DAMNED HEALER! Hang on Hermione… please hang on…_' and Harry was visibly shaking from the gallery he was sat in. Apart from himself and Hermione, Hannah, Susan, Dean, Seamus, Lavender, Padma, Parvati, Ariana, Ginny, Daphne and Astoria had also elected to attend. Unlike Harry and Hermione though, the others had decided to attend in full battle armour to underline not only the situation, but also in order to provide security – not that Harry needed it though. Hermione was attempting to keep Harry calm enough so his magic didn't erupt as it was prone to do once every blue moon. The recording continued playing the aftermath of the shooting.

'_There aren't any here_' Neville's voice was heard. Harry wished how he could have had Neville and Luna with him today. 'We're _losing her – she's bleeding too much…_' he added over Memory-Harry's shouting.

"Turn it off" Harry said quietly, but everyone heard it anyway.

"There is more to be played" said Dredd.

"TURN IT OFF!" thundered Harry, and the different doors to the courtroom burst into flames. Luckily though, these fires were put out by the Aurors. The recording was turned off, and Harry turned his attention to the man sat restrained in the chair. There was silence in the court as Dredd consulted with his fellow judges before coming to a decision.

"We will break for a while. Please remain in the Ministry until we call you back" and with that, Dredd and the judges got up and walked out at the same time that Lupin was taken to the holding cell.

# # # # #

"You almost lost it in there" Hermione said.

"I know" Harry replied. "But I still think about it everyday. To see it from a recording of that traitor…" he trailed off. Hermione could understand what he was thinking, and tried to imagine if the roles had been reversed.

"What sentence do you intend to go for?" asked Dean from the doorway.

"Something that will be very slow, very painful and very fitting" was all that Harry would reply with. They waited for well over three hours before they were called back by the court scribe.

"This" Hannah said, ""Should be very interesting" and Hannah would indeed be right in what she said.

# # # # #

"ATTENTION ON DECK!" shouted an Auror, and everyone stopped talking to watch Harry and his party enter the courtroom and take their places in the gallery.

"I hate that" Harry moaned. Most of the Aurors knew he hated it, and so they did it as much as possible. A few moments later, and Lupin was returned to the seat as the judges filed in at the same time.

"This court is in session" said Dredd, and then he looked down at Lupin who was restrained in his chair. He then surveyed the courtroom altogether as he addressed everyone. "This case has dealt with many different stories while attempting to find out the truth. We have viewed evidence that clearly shows Mr Lupin firing the weapon. As is his right, Mr Lupin has challenged the article. We have heard sworn testimony from sources who are more then basically qualified in their fields. We have heard Mr Potter's testimony, provided while under the effects of Veritaserum, and from that we know that Albus Dumbledore and several others have admitted what happened. One of those persons is Miss Ginerva Weasley who is sitting near Mr and Mrs Potter. They have dropped all charges in exchange for her evidence which was given freely. But what it all comes down to is this: Did Remus Lupin murder Hermione Potter nee Granger? Certainly we have seen and heard facts that would support that – those are facts from Mr Potter, his friends and physicians in America. We have also made a legal first in that we have heard from the deceased, and that alone caused problems for me to consider. We went over this again and again and have come upon this decision: Remus Jonathon Lupin, it is the judgement of this court that you are guilty of all the lesser charges, and for that we sentence you to a term of seventy years in Azkaban. For the crimes of attempted murder of Mr Potter, you here sentenced to ten years in Azkaban prison" and Dredd paused before finishing. "On the serious charge of the murder of Mrs Potter, you are sentenced to death" and Lupin screamed with wage and let his little known strength show. He ripped the restraining binds off their mounts and jumped up.

"Where are you going?" asked Hermione.

"To get you a new coat" Harry said, and he launched himself over the top of the three rows in front, executed a perfect roll and landed so well he would have scored 10 from the Swedish judge at skating.

"You wouldn't hurt me" said Lupin. None of the Aurors or Harry's friends dared to come close for fear of Harry's magic going off.

"You betrayed me, you hurt me, you killed Hermione, and worst of all… you betrayed the memories of my parents and Sirius" sparks of magical energy crackled around Harry as he slowly brought his wand to bear.

"Kill me" Lupin said, "And you'll go dark forever… then who would be the betrayer?" he asked. The aura around Harry grow in brightness and intensity as Harry muttered one simple sentence.

"Verto in lupus vultus quod aufero tergum" he said flatly. A blindingly hot light burst from the end of Harry's wand and hit Lupin and made him turn into his werewolf form. A few moments later, and it seemed as if his skin was peeling – and it was! Lupin howled in pain as the skin came off with the fur still on, and everyone in the courtroom watched the sight of the beam which faded from Harry's wand. Howls of pain filled the room as Lupin's wolf skin kept peeling off. When people glanced at Harry's expression they had to look away as the face was more terrifying as anything that Voldemort had ever done. Harry watched unblinking as the man in front of him was killed. When the skin had flopped to the ground, all you could see were all the muscles and bones that made up a werewolf. Moments later, and Lupin was returned to normal minus his skin. Gasps echoed round the room at the sight of the pure bizarreness of the situation, and Harry raised his wand and pointed his index finger at wounded Lupin. "Die" was all he said.

And Lupin did just that

# # # # #

_One eye on the shadows, protecting his fellows  
From sun up to the moon on his back  
Sent the villains to Hades, a hit with the ladies  
A stallion in the sack_

_You can't get your life back  
When right follows left Jack  
The more you see the less you know  
When others would leak it, his service is secret  
Plays God when it's your time to go_

_Queen and country, safe and sound  
With villains six feet underground  
And no one knows 'cause no one's found  
Any trace of a man for all seasons  
Loves them and leaves them alone, so alone_

_And you and I wouldn't have a clue  
Who's doing what, why, when and who?  
Up a creek with no canoe  
Watch out for the man for all seasons  
Loves them and leaves them alone, so alone  
But safe at home_

_From the House of Lords, saving Norfolk broads  
Commoners and landed gentry  
His word his bond, whether brunette or blonde  
Baby, it's so elementary  
For the man never messed up your life with one stare  
See the film, you'll know how it goes  
But this ain't no fiction  
Just check the diction quid pro quo, a pro's pro_

_Hey fellas, don't be jealous  
When they made him they broke the mold  
So charismatic, with an automatic  
Never prematurely shooting his load_

_Queen and country, safe and sound  
With villains six feet underground  
And no one knows 'cause no one's found  
Any trace of a man for all seasons  
Loves them and leaves them alone, so alone_

_And you and I wouldn't have a clue  
Who's doing what, why, when and who?  
Up a creek with no canoe  
Watch out for the man for all seasons  
Loves them and leaves them alone, so alone  
But safe at home_

_Queen and country, safe and sound  
With villains six feet underground  
And no one knows 'cause no one's found  
Any trace of a man for all seasons  
Loves them and leaves them alone, so alone_

# # # # #

Hermione had sat holding the shaking form of Harry at Grimmauld Place, and thanked the others for leaving them alone for a while. When Lupin's lifeless body had keeled over, Harry had bent down, scooped up the wolf fur and vanished on the spot. Hermione and the others had tracked him down to Sirius's old place where Harry was sat in an arm chair shaking as he thought what he had just done to another person. Killing someone with the killing curse was bad enough, but to take their skin away and then kill them with a single action was nearly too much. After a while Harry stopped shaking, and Hermione led him to a bedroom where she slowly and tenderly made love to him.

When Harry was asleep, Hermione rose from the bed and put on a robe before descending to the living room. Hannah was the first to see her as she came down the stairs.

"How is he?" asked the Hufflepuff.

"He's sleeping" Hermione replied.

"Why do you think he did that?" enquired Ariana from the fireplace.

"You have not known Harry as much as the rest of us" replied Lavender quietly from her own armchair. "Harry might be prone to doing things on the fly, but he has a strong sense of courage, honour and duty. Knowing Harry as well as most of us in this room do, he simply wanted to protect Hermione. While Hermione was…away, he would often talk about how each day was spent looking after her. That was his primary purpose. There were days when the boys would have to hold Harry back from punching Malfoy's lights out. The weeks and months after Hermione's death were hard for Harry. He took a broom out and flew it so fast it broke up. When we found him, all he said was that he wanted to be with Hermione" Lavender finished to silence.

"That is very true" said Dean eventually, and at that moment the fireplace flared up and three Aurors popped out and looked around for someone.

"Where is Harry James Potter?" asked one.

"Who wants to know?" asked Seamus.

"Gaius Baltar" replied the man. "We are here to arrest Harry Potter on charges of revealing the Magical World to muggles and causing the death of Remus J Lupin" and there was slight rustle, and the trio were faced with a dozen wands and one firepoker.

"Go" said a voice, "Now" and Hermione turned to see Harry with his wand pointing right the eyes of Baltar.

"You are under arrest" said Baltar.

"And you are under my roof" replied Harry. "I do not see why I am facing charges of murder, for you see Lupin was sentenced to death. I just got Mione a new coat. Now I am sick and tired of saving everyone and then getting treated like dirt. Now here this, Auror – do not come for me again. If the Ministry wishes to talk to me, then you send me a letter. Address it to _Harry Potter_ and the Owls will find me. Do not attempt to find me in any way, or I will destroy any man or women that attempts to do so. Now go, Auror Baltar, go with your friends and never darken my doorstep again" and Harry started sparking with raw magical power as he slowly closed the distance.

"Eep" said Baltar, and he and his partners turned and ran into the floo where they vanished. Harry lowered his wand and muttered something that was possibly in Korean – Hermione wasn't certain.

"What do we do?" she asked Harry as she stood by his side and wrapped an arm around him.

"We've been compromised" her husband replied. "We'll seal this place's floo off and we'll leave for Allcroft House now. Lets get away from all of the politics and scandal making" and he turned to look into Hermione's eyes. "I think I've had quite enough of this magical world" and he undid himself from his wife's hold before heading upstairs to pack. The others raced upstairs to do the same before Harry activated a trinket that acted the same way as a portkey – the difference was that not everyone had left Grimmauld Place.

It was only Harry, Hermione and Ariana.

**A/N:**

**So the whose afraid of the big bad wolf, huh?**

**First of all I would like to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday – MUCH APPRICIATED PEOPLE! Also, I hear there are rumours going around FF that I have left the site, these rumours are in fact false. I have no idea who started them, but I assure you I was always on, I was simply busy.**

**So Lupin is dead and there is a pissed off Harry into the mix! I hope you enjoyed this chapter – and yes… biscuit awarded to person who is the first to say who the song is by and from what film it appeared in. EXTRA LARGE biscuits for the people who get the judge and the arresting Auror's names.**

**Now because the author got slightly… tipsy on his birthday and came home with his shoes in his coat – didn't want them wearing out – the next chapter got started. As it got to a 1000 words, I'm doing it as it is. As I was drunk while writing it, the following chapter will contain Thomas The Tank Engine And Friends, RMS **_**Titanic**_**, a couple of Spitfires, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and a squad of heavily armed rubber ducks. As final chapters go, I think this will be the craziest ending since Nineteen Years Later! I hope you have fun trying to think of what happens when you mix all these things together!**

**Keep Guessing,**

**Pixel**

**Now Sober (and clear headed) for two minutes**


	31. All Good Things, Must Come To An End – 2

**All Good Things, Must Come To An End – Part 2**

**And One Half…**

_Harry walked along the heavily damaged sections of the castle, saw the death and destruction that Voldemort had caused and promised that it would all end with the Dark Lord's death. He tried not to look at the broken bodies that silently awaited someone to collect them for later burial. A lot of the younger students littered the corridors and passage ways, and the smell of blood made Harry be sick out the nearest hole in the wall. A lot of the dead were innocent children who had no useful information to the Death Eaters, and so they had been killed because of that very fact. As he picked his way round a mass of the dead, Harry noted that some of the Slytherins had remained loyal to Hogwarts – how many he would find out later. Acrid smoke filled his nostrils along with the unique smells of burning and burnt flesh. A lot of the bodies had missing, arms, legs and in some cases legs. Some had been cut open by spell work and had their guts torn out. Harry had seen one of the classroom doors in the charms corridor blown apart, and he looked inside. Harry wished he had not. All of the first years that the Death Eaters had captured had been rounded up and put into one room, and then someone – or a group perhaps – had clearly sent in blasting charms to kill them. Something hit Harry's left ankle, and when he looked down, he saw a black haired Hufflepuff who had been killed while still holding onto her teddy bear. She must have caught the edge of a spell because her right side had been torn away leaving her in a mess of blood, guts and brains as the back of her head was missing. Harry noticed her remaining shining black hair was fanned around her and that with her pale skin, she looked beautiful even in death. He tried to turn away from the sight, but couldn't move properly for the amount of bodies…_

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" Harry shot up in bed.

"Hungh?" said a puzzled Hermione as she was woken up by her husband's screams.

"The bodies" Harry whispered.

"What bodies?" Hermione asked.

"The bodies" Harry replied. "Can't you see them?" he added to her. Then he looked down at his feet. "OH GODS! ONE OF THEM HAS ME… HELP ME MIONE!"

"Harry…" Hermione said calmly. "You're having a bad dream. None of that is real right now. Try to calm down and not think about it" she reached out a hand to his shoulder, and slowly Harry began to calm down from the terrible nightmare he had been having. They hadn't started until Padma had fallen and cut her leg open. It was only a small amount of blood, but Harry had seen it and it had triggered the flashbacks to the battle.

"I killed them, Mione" Harry sobbed into her shoulder as she held him tight.

"You didn't kill them" Hermione said gently.

"I killed them" Harry repeated. "I killed them all… If only I gave myself up, I could have saved everyone. They should lock me in Azkaban for what I've done. All those children slaughtered because of me…" Harry just lost it, and Hermione held on to him as the whole grief was poured out.

"_Those bastards_" was her single thought. When it was safe to leave Harry on his own, she slipped out of bed and fetched Ariana. She had discovered that she could help calm Harry down in ways Hermione would never truly understand. She had taken her through what she did, but whatever happened. It would not work for Hermione. It turned out that Harry's grief, pain and anger ran deep, and that this was the only way to keep his magic under control. They had had to replace several items already through bursts from Harry. These had to be paid for in cash because the insurance didn't cover acts of God – the legal term for Harry James Potter.

"I heard" was all that Astoria said when Hermione entered her room. She had seemingly had no qualms about her choice of night clothes, and she put on a deep purple dressing gown before heading to the part of the cellar that served as her shelter during her attacks. Being in there often helped Harry to calm down from the nightmares. This particular episode took twenty minutes to vanish from Harry, and Hermione gave him a dreamless sleep potion after putting him to bed once more. Because neither of them could be bothered to attempt to sleep anymore, the two ladies showered and dressed before heading downstairs to begin the day's work.

As it was only half four in the morning, Hermione decided to have a kedgeree for breakfast, so she side-apperated Astoria with her to the station where they caught a lift in the guards van of the empties that were going down to the docks. They came back with Henry's _Flying Kipper_, hopping out at the main station along with several parcels of wet fish and a bag or two of best Welsh coal from his tender. They apperated back to Allcroft House where most of the fish was put under a preserving charm to keep it fresh. As Hermione was pottering around the kitchen, she stopped and turned to Ariana.

"Cut out the lies – how is Harry really?" she asked.

"He feels a lot of anger and remorse for what happened. He wishes that he could pay for what happened. He feels responsible for what happened. I have… seen what happened, and there is nothing that could have been done. What hurts him the most is the memory of those children killed" Ariana rubbed her head before continuing. "Harry thinks that he failed those that relied upon him. As far as he was concerned, the battle was not their fight. They had no information to give up. They had no need to die. If you want my opinion, then you should keep loving Harry and show him that it was not his fault. If he keeps going down this slippery slope, then only two can happen" she added.

"And those are?" Hermione suspected she knew the options.

"He could become so desperate for a release that he kills himself" Ariana said. There was a long pause before Hermione spoke.

"Or?"

"Or he could become the next Dark Lord" and the temperature dropped by a very noticeable amount.

#

_Why will they not kill me?_

_I have to pay for what I did._

_I should have turned myself in to Voldemort._

_Why will they not kill me for what I have done?_

#

"I still can't believe it" said Dean. Blocked by all means of transportation – magical and muggle. Something has happened to Harry" and he tried to think what was going on with his friend.

"I should have thought that the answer was simple" said Daphne.

"What's that then?" asked Seamus.

"Harry won"

#

There were a number of people who decided that as Harry had killed Voldemort, then he had to of murdered him. Therefore, the motion was passed which called for the trial of Harry. Using every inch of power they had, they kept it in the forefront of the press coverage, and the group at Grimmauld Place wondered if Harry knew. It had been several weeks since he, Hermione and Ariana had vanished seemingly from the face of the earth. Attempts to contact them by Owl had only failed, and even the Goblins could not tell where Harry was. Then again, this might have been because of a previous agreement between the two sides.

"I wish we could visit our friends" said Ariana.

"Well I'm not stopping you from seeing them" Harry said.

"I'll get packed, and the three of us can go" said the girl, but Harry shook his head.

"I'm not going" he said.

"Why ever not?" asked Hermione.

"Mione, I am too dangerous to be out in public. With just one or two people I am fine, but with more people around me then I could snap and lose it. Remember what happened the other day when Ari tapped me on the shoulder?" and Hermione remembered. Ariana had seen Harry sitting alone by the window, and had tapped on his shoulder. Before she knew what was going on, she had been slammed to the floor and on the receiving end of several curses. After she had recovered, Ariana had made it clear that she didn't blame Harry for what had happened, but Harry _had_ blamed himself for several days.

"You are as dangerous as any other person" Hermione told him gently. "You have suffered more in your life so far then everyone else in their _entire_ lifetime – you know that" Hermione saw the comprehension in Harry's eyes.

**A/N:**

**Another exciting chapter.**

**First of all I am sorry that this is another short chapter, but I have something special planned for a certain date this month, so I need a little "Brain Refreshing Trip" – so Pixel's off train spotting! WOO WOO**

**The other reason is that Destiny's injuries are more extensive then first thought. Rather then buying a new computer, I have decided to have her completely stripped down and then rebuilt. This is out of the loyalty she has given me for the last few months.**

**#**

**There isn't much to say except that anyone who remembers the Christmas Present I gave them will like what I have planned for the DH Part 1's release date. Also wanted to say that there is a new poll on my home page – I'm sure I know which way it will go.**

**Loyal And Faithful reviewers and friends: those listed on my homepage should contact me through PM to find out what I have planned – rest of you will have to wait.**

**Again, Hope you like this chapter**

**Pixel And Stephanie Forever**


	32. All Good Things, Must Come To An End – 3

**All Good Things, Must Come To An End – Part 3**

**Or**

**The Final Chapter**

It still took Harry some time to think, and he decided that he wanted to stay at Allcroft House for a while.

"They think I'll have died or something. Well I'll show them what a dead person can do" Harry said to Hermione

"Yeah, I'm pretty spry for a corpse" agreed Ariana. Harry chuckled as Hermione worked out that Harry was being protective again.

"You want us to give up magic?" she enquired of Harry.

"Partly" Harry replied. "Even with a new Minister and a semi peaceful world, these are uncertain times and we could face a magical civil war. We would be well done to leave this world before it starts" and Hermione frowned.

"But what of our friends? If there is to be a war, then surely they should be with us so they are safe" Hermione argued.

"Dean and Seamus will be alright because they can pass for muggles. Hannah and Susan will stick together as they always do. And as for the twins, I'm sure that Lavender or her family will take them in" Harry seemed as if her had worked this all out in his mind.

"You had this all worked out" Hermione accused. "Why can you never relax for once? Start thinking of what you want and feel other then other people's" she snapped. Ariana looked and felt the tension build up in the room, and she turned around and walked out the room before she started having an episode. The clock showed the late hour – 01:08.

#

Ariana walked out of the room and into the kitchen to sit at the counter. While she sat in the relative calmness of the room, she attempted to keep her calmness as the trauma of seeing Lupin's death combined with the argument that Harry and Hermione were having gave the girl indications of the fact one of her outbursts could be appearing. Casting a warming spell on herself, she opened the backdoor and slipped into the garden to watch the stars twinkle in the magnificence. As she watched them high above her, Ariana wondered if Harry had done the right thing by taking herself and Hermione with him to Allcroft House. Perhaps the memories of war had been too much for him to take after killing Lupin, and he just wanted close friends and family. That in itself caused problems because the others would have turned up on the island with them. She could understand wanting to get away from all of the things that can make on go mad – not unlike herself a lifetime ago.

"Poor Harry" she muttered to the sky. "Harry did what was expected of him to save everyone, but now the world thinks it doesn't owe him anything" and she shook her head sadly as she headed back to the house.

#

"I thought you might be outside" Harry said when Ariana walked into the kitchen once more. Then his expression grew serious. "I know what you might say, but I have to ask you anyway. Can you have a look please?" Harry asked. Ariana frowned before finally nodding her head. They sat down on the high backed stools as the girl calmed herself down and became rather peaceful.

"Remember this, Harry" she warned him, "I can not always make these Sights be accurate. Looking into the future is a tricky business" and Harry nodded before Ariana took hold of his hands inside her own and began to See.

# + # + #

_Hermione was looking through the doors to a large room, and tears rapidly fall down her face as she wept in sadness._

"_I can't believe he died" she whimpered._

"_The Healers said the spell was quick – you know Harry was when it came to those spells" said Parvati._

"_If only we hadn't argued for months… if only I hadn't wanted to look something up in a book so I could shoot down or confirm Harry's story" Hermione said into the other girl's shoulder._

"_Don't blame yourself, Hermione" Parvati said while patting Hermione's shoulder. "At least Harry is at peace now" she added._

# + # + #

Ariana's eyes snapped open and she jerked away from Harry as if he was red hot metal.

"Now remember what I said" she reminded him.

"I know, I know" Harry assured her. "Any suggestions as to how I patch up my relationship with Hermione?" he asked the witch.

"Sit with Hermione and tell her exactly why you did what you did – and leave nothing out. I am sure that Hermione knows that you've been left scared mentally from the war and all the betrayals, and I am sure she loves you still deeply. What you must know though is that the two of you have to work this out together" and Harry wondered if Ariana was channelling Luna's spirit from somewhere. He nodded sharply before leaving to find his wife for a serious talk.

# # # # #

I can't believe he didn't take us" said Dean.

"What do we do?" asked Seamus.

"We'll wait here for when they come back" Dean answered.

"And if they don't?" said the former Gryffindor.

"Then we start panicking" was all Dean replied with all the seriousness he could muster to his friend.

"Do you think they will ever come back?" asked Hannah.

"I don't know" replied Susan. "After having the press follow him and Hermione everywhere when they out, I'd be wanting to get away from it all. I just don't understand why he didn't take us with him" she added. At that moment, a Goblin portkeyed into the room and started searching for someone. Deciding on Padma, he went up to her, handed over a letter and then portkeyed away again.

"What does it say?" asked Lavender.

"I better read this aloud" said Padma darkly.

_Dear All_

_By now you've either all started to wonder where I am, or you've made a pot of tea. Myself, Hermione and Ariana have gone to Allcroft House to get away from all of the public attention. While I would have liked to have brought you with us, most of you have not seen your families for a long time. Take this time to see your family before something terrible happens._

_While I am away, each of you has a job to do for me. I would like you all to run my business interests in my place until we return – which might be some time. A meeting has been arranged between yourselves and Griphook tomorrow morning. While there, he will set up Ginny with small funds to pay for her last year at Hogwarts._

_The press will no doubt try to contact me while we're away, so please just tell them that I'm ill (not far wrong) and that I will talk to them as soon as._

_One More Thing:- I've cut off all portkey and floo access to Allcroft House for reasons that I, and I alone, must know._

_Harry_

"So what does that tell us?" asked Lavender to the ensuing silence.

# # # # #

The morning broke over the Island of Sodor, and Hermione found that Harry was not in the bed with her. She got out of bed, showered, dressed and quietly went downstairs where she found a note on the dining room table.

_Hermione_

_Decided to catch a ride to the docks to get some fresh fish. Will be back as soon as possible_

_Harry_

_PS: And Ariana too!_

With one thing off her mind, Hermione set about making the first pot of tea for the day. She flicked on the radio and listened to the shipping forecast and then heard a rather good song called _He's A really Useful Engine_ by some band called Clearwater Productions. At about half past six, Harry and Ariana came in with a couple of parcels of fresh fish under their arms.

"Hi, Hermione!" beamed Ariana brightly. "Look what we got!" and she opened her parcel on a kitchen work area.

"I see you had a good time" said Hermione as she noticed the smudged and sooty clothes Ariana and Harry wore. "I'll stick a preserving charm on these while you get upstairs and get cleaned off. I'll have breakfast ready for you to eat when you get down" and Harry and Ariana snapped off salutes that built the British Army before turning on their heels and headed for the bathrooms. When they came down again, Hermione had made bacon, eggs, fried bread, mushrooms, sausages, hash browns, fried tomatoes and toast. As they listened to the radio, the trio talked about what they would be doing that day. Ariana decided to go to the station and talk to the engines as they came in and out of the station, while Harry and Hermione would be working on ways to supplement the wards protecting Allcroft House. One result of this would be the elimination of all information regarding the location of the house from the memories of those who had no need to know. All written records would be destroyed as well so as to make doubly sure of the security measures.

It was the middle of the afternoon when Harry and Hermione had finished with all the new wards. They had keyed their friends into it so they could get in – when Harry was ready that was. They made themselves some lunch before sitting down in the library to talk.

"How long do we have to keep this up?" asked Hermione.

"Look, Mione, I know how you feel about this – I really do. But I just want to have time away from the magical world for a while. Maybe we'll go back after a while, but for now, Hermione, please let me know and experience what it means to be a normal person" and Hermione realised how deep Harry's problems went. She knew about the abuse from the Dursleys, from Malfoy and his goons, never knowing if he would be attacked at school and she began to cry. Harry simply sighed and patted Hermione on the shoulders and hugged her tightly. When she had calmed down, she asked her husband if there was anything that he wanted to do. Harry thought about it for a moment, but shook his head. "All I want is to know what a normal life is like, and then we'll return… that I promise to you Mione" and he leant forwards and kissed her on the lips.

"Point me the nearest bathroom" Ariana said to her wand. "I think I am going to be quite sick" and walked away. After a full week, Harry decided that it was time for them to return to the Magical World.

#

One of the first things Harry intended to do was to have a good clear out of Grimmauld Place. It was rather fitting that Padma – a fellow Ravenclaw - had found it that morning, and she called the others together to view it. Nobody had had the heart to go through the items of either Neville or Luna, but Padma had heard a rattling in one of Luna's old trunks. She had opened it up to see something she had not expected. Harry looked at the square stone as it lit up and hummed with power. Then with a shimmer, an image of Luna Celeste Lovegood appeared before the assembled people.

"Oh god" Harry whispered as he closed his eyes.

"Hello, my friends. You are here now watching this image of me because I have died. It probably happened while I was saving people, and quickly, which is what I expected. Never forget I died doing exactly what I chose to do. What I want you to know is how much I loved my life and those of you who shared it with me. You are my family. You all know where I came from and what my life was like before. I have been blest with your friendship and your love" Luna looked around the gathered teens and found each person in turn.

"Hannah, Susan and Padma, you are the best! You trusted me; you encouraged me; and most of all you made me laugh.

Lavender and Parvati, you are capable of so much love. You taught me without ever having to say a word. I realized I could be feminine without losing anything.

Dean, I'm sorry I won't be able to see you grow into the exceptional man you'll become; but your kindness and friendship are ageless.

Ah, Seamus. We are so much alike, you and I. Both warriors, sort of orphans who found ourselves this family. I hope I met death with my eyes wide open.

Hermione, your fierce devotion comes from within and can't be diminished. From you, I have learned to strive for excellence no matter what the personal cost.

My boyfriend, Neville" and Harry moaned and an expression of pain filled his face as this had clearly been recorded before her death "In those moments I felt the most despair you took my hand and helped me to see things differently. You taught me to look beyond the moment. You see things with the wonder of a child, and that makes you more human than any of us. I am just sorry that we didn't get to be married and have a number of children. The witch – or wizard – that marries you will be lucky only to Hermione and Harry in terms of happiness.

Mr Harry James Potter, You were one of my first friends at Hogwarts. You didn't make fun of what I thought or believed in. You allowed me to stay when I arrived with the others after leaving Hogwarts. If there was someone in this universe I could choose to be like; someone who I would want to make proud of me; it's you. You who have the heart of a warrior, the soul of a just person and the soul of a poet. So, you'll understand when I say 'Death is that state in which one exists only in the memory of others.' Which is why it is not an end, no good-byes, just good memories. I'd better be going now because dinner is being served. Goodbye, my dear, dear friends" and the image shimmered away. Silence rebounded around the room as everyone was quiet after watching the recording of Luna's last statement.

"Au revoir, Luna" Harry whispered into the silence. A moment later, and he turned round and headed for the floo.

"Where are you going?" asked Hermione.

"Out" and Harry flooed away.

"Oh shit" said Lavender. It was a sentiment shared by all present. Hermione concentrated on where Harry was, and imagined him in a fight with Aurors.

"To Azkaban" she called loudly. They went directly to Azkaban, with some effort, and saw a walking human torch that had to be Harry. All around them lay the battered and defeated Aurors who guarded the prison. "HARRY!" but Harry either didn't hear her or simply ignored her as he went into the deepest parts of the prison with the group following them. They found him inside the only cell which had no door, and Harry was covering the figure of Albus Dumbledore with his wand. "Don't kill him" she pleaded with him.

"No… I won't kill him" Harry growled. "I want him to know the same pain I have felt because of his meddling" and Hermione thought that he was going to attack Dumbledore who looked at Harry and the rest with puzzlement. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he sensed that he might have a chance to resume his rightful place.

"What you have been through has been a mistake" he said carefully. "Help me to get out of here, and I will forgive you for what you have done" and Hermione, Ariana and the rest couldn't believe what Dumbledore was saying. He was making out that it was all Harry's fault. As for the man in question, he simply smiled grimly and brought his wand to bear on Dumbledore's head.

"DEFEND YOURSELF" and Harry entered Dumbledore's mind. Despite the time in Azkaban, Dumbledore still possessed his mental shields but Harry tore right through them like they did not exist. Once he had reached the former Headmaster's mind Harry 'gifted' him the memories of every time he had ever been hurt by the Dursleys, the times he had been hurt by Death Eaters, the more recent memories of Hermione's death and the guilt he had felt for the deaths of those people killed or disabled at the Battle of the Line. He poured them all in by overriding any attempts by Dumbledore to stop him. Once he was satisfied with what he had done, Harry withdrew from his mind to observe the results of what he had done.

"Gods…" Hannah whispered. They had all watched as Harry mentally assaulted Dumbledore, and when he was done, their former headmaster had hung his head and started sobbing.

"_Please_" he said in a half sob and half whisper, "_Please kill me…_" and Harry leaned in and spoke in such a low voice that they nearly didn't hear him.

"I am going to do far worse then kill you, Dumbledore" he said into his ear, "I'm going to let you live" and with one last look at him Harry fell into Hermione's open arms and started to cry.

"Lets get out of here" and they took Harry away – knowing he would never have to see Dumbledore again.

# # # # #

Harry felt free for the first time in many months, and he was able to put away the feelings he had tried to bury so much. As he was the Saviour of the magical world, everybody asked him for his help, but he refused nearly each and every one of them unless it was from people who had tried all other options first. Those included Orphanages and medical research. The first thing he did after nearly killing Dumbledore with the rush of memories was to take Hermione to the Master Bedroom and screw her for nearly a full week. When they emerged afterwards, they found two squads of Aurors and a team of Cursebreakers attempting to get in – it turned out that everyone thought they had been captured.

The months and eventually years passed, and the group all stayed in touch as they got married, had children and got on with careers – most of them working for Harry in one of his businesses. He asked them to work for him because he wanted people he could trust. One happy moment for Harry and Hermione was the birth of their first child, though this was after a great deal of trouble involving Ariana, rituals, potions and six gun toting rubber ducks. They named their first born child James Sirius, and their first daughter born nine months later Andromeda Excelsior Destiny Rhapsody Melody Harmony Symphony Potter. It was four years after all was right when Harry and Hermione got a letter saying that Dumbledore had died after jumping into the rocks outside his cell during his monthly two hours out Azkaban for exercise.

From time to time, Harry went to Hogwarts and gave talks about his experiences about fighting Voldemort and his followers. He did this because he felt it was important for the younger generation to know what happened if you let evil fester in amongst themselves. Hogwarts itself was now under the leadership of Professor R Sharpe, a man who had written several books about Harry – all successful. He was also a rather dab hand at teaching!

Harry was the last to die at the age of 250 whilst on a broomstick. When asked how he wanted to die, he told reporters that there was three options: A) Die as a respectable figure, B) Die in battle or C) Die in prison. Harry went for the forth option - Die as the winner of the domestic and international Quidditch cups. He was buried in Godric's Hollow with Hermione and his parents, and his grave became a sort of shrine for the magical world as witches and wizards paid thier respects every year on his brithday and the day of his victory over Voldemort.

It wasn't bad for a boy who was Leaving Home

**A/N:**

**Well here it is - the final chapter of Leaving Home. Been through a lot of accidents with this over the last week or so (just ask XRaiderV1) with accidental deletions, but I managed to get it back after an epic 18 hour bender! I hope that you like it enough to send me reviews :D**

**It would not be me without a number of references, so try to spot as many as you can. Some are names, some are quotes and somenot present. I shall inform you of each one in reply to your reviews.**

**Regardless of whatever god or gods you believe in, I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year**

**Regards**

**Pixel And Stephanie Forever**

**Part 1 of a two fic release.**


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